Pezomachtis?^ BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 211 



nervures and stigma piceous, the latter basally white ; radix pale. Length, 

 3-3i mm. 



7'he variety lairator appears to me to be certainly synonymous, differing 

 only in having the metathorax nearly entirely red, and the fifth flagellar 

 joint is described as nearly quadrate'; it is cjuite jiossible that P. callidiis 

 and P. hostilis are only forms of this variety. Both sexes of the variety 

 calviis differ only in having the thorax black, with only the pronotum and 

 a radical spot red, the coxae and hind legs somewhat darker ; the abdomen 

 is said to be more nitidulous and the general colour darker ; Thomson's 

 two descriptions tally almost verbatim. The typical ^ is said to be closely 

 allied with that o^ P. fasciaius, from which it differs in the sub-transverse 

 post-petiole, shorter terebra, apically black abdomen, and in the usually 

 black metathorax. The conformation of the antennae renders the ^ very 

 distinct. 



For dissections of this species confer Curtis' Brit. Ent. pi. 536. 



Ratzeburg bred the variety latrator from spiders, and Bridgman both 

 typical sexes from a spider's nest (Ent. 1882, p. 239), in the middle of 

 July at Wimbledon ; these are represented in his collection at Norwich, 

 and he subsequently took it at Buckenham in the Norfolk Broads. I 

 have swept the female in very marshy spots at Foxhali, Tuddenham Fen, 

 Oulton Broad, and an alder wood in the Bramford Marshes, in Suffolk, in 

 May, August, September and November ; and possess three examples 

 from Shere in Surrey, in Capron's collection. The commonest British 

 form appears to be discedens, which I have swept at Ranworlh Broad in 

 June and at Claydon bridge as late in the year as 25th November; once 

 I took it running on the mud, among Ste?ii and Trogophloei, at the roots 

 of reeds by the Little Ouse at Brandon, in Suffolk ; Tuck has sent it me 

 from Bungay, in October. Forster says it differs from vagans in its shorter 

 body, narrower thora.x, less developed scutellum, and the non-projecting 

 petiolar spiracles ; the only distinction I caw trace is in its entirely red 

 third segment, with the base and sides of the fourth and base of the meta- 

 thorax also red ; it appears intermediate in colour between the type form 

 and the variety latrator. 



32. fraudulentus, Forst. 



Pezomachiis frajtdulejitus, Fiirst. Wiegm. Arch. 1S50, p. 162, 9. 



Head dull with sparse grey pilosity ; occiput distinctly bordered through- 

 out. Antennae somewhat short and stout, with the basal flagellar joint 

 rather longer than the second, and the fifth a little longer than broad. 

 Thorax hardly shining ; meta- distinctly longer than the meso-notum ; 

 petiolar area sub-vertical and not elongate, its basal costa sometimes 

 obsolete centrally, but with the apophyses prominent though obtuse. 

 Scutellum wanting. Abdomen densely punctate and pubescent to the 

 apex ; basal segment not short, equally and gradually explanate throughout, 

 with the spiracles not prominent ; terebra as long as the basal segment. 

 Legs somewhat stout. 



Head black with the palpi and mandibles red. Antennae somewhat 

 dark red with the apical half of the ilagellum [)iceous, the scape infuscate, 



1 A somewhat doubtful female of I'. /iiscUoriiis, Forst.. captured l)y Mr. F. H. Day in the Carlisle 

 district in the middle of I'Cbruary, 1900, has passed through Elliott's haii<ls ; it is said to difTcr from 

 /*. vagaiii in having the fifth flagellar joint not longer than broad. 



