Pezomachus.] BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 217 



nearly all the mL'Soslernuni. Abdomen densely pubescent to the apex ; 

 post-petiole of normal breadth, with the spiracles not prominent ; terebra 

 shorter than the basal segment. Legs stout ; the front tibiae inflated and 

 their coxae produced nearly to the base of the intermediate. 



Head black ; antennae red to their centre and thence gradually darker 

 to the apex. Thorax jMceous or black. Abdomen black with the apex of 

 the post-petiole and sides of the second and third segments red ; the first 

 sometimes entirely black or the apical margins of the following rufescent. 

 Legs red. 



S. Brachypterous. 'I'horax somewhat elongate; scutellum tubereuli- 

 form ; wings punctiform. J>lack with the antennae red. Abdomen with 

 the apex of the post-petiole, and sometimes also tlie second and base of 

 the third segments, red. Legs red with the posterior femora and apex of 

 their tibiae black. Length, 3 mm. 



There can, I think, be no doubt that F. spurius is nothing but a small 

 and weakly developed form of this species, since it has the stout flagellum, 

 short antennae, transverse mesonotum, oblique petiolar area, centrally 

 obsolete and laterally strong basal costa, and the coloration of the type 

 form, from which it differs only in its smaller size and more diffusely 

 pubescent abdomen. 



■Professor Thomson confirmed this species as British in 1886 (Trans. 

 Ent. Soc. p. 341), on the strength of a single male, taken by Bridgman in 

 Norfolk. Bignell has found it at Exeter early in September. It is said to 

 be abundant at Glanvilles Wootton by Dale, who records it from Harris in 

 the Outer Hebrides (E.M.M. 1883, p. 237), and common in Guernsey, by 

 Luff. Beaumont has captured the male at Harting and females at Oxshott, 

 Boxhill, and Appledore. It has been bred by Ratzeburg from a Coleopliora 

 on beech ; by Brischke through Microgaster glomeratus from Fieris hrassicae 

 and, Kirchner says, Fsyche calvella : according to Wasmann it is also an 

 inquiline in the nests of Lasius fuUginosus. It does not appear to be very 

 common with us ; I possess examples from Felden in flerts. (Fiffard), 

 Birch Wood and Leicester (Marshall), and Shere in Surrey (Ca|)ron). 

 Chitty has found it in Kent at the Blean Woods, Charing, Huntingficld, 

 Doddington ; and at Bradfield, near Reading, in September and April. 



39. pulicarius, Fab. 



Ichneumon piiliiarius. Fab. E. S. ii. 191. rczoinaditis ptdicarius, Gr. I. E. ii. 917 ; 

 Ffirst Wiegm. Arch. 1850, p. 144 9 ; Bridg. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1889, p. 41S, {, . 

 (?) P. iiislrator ci P. secretiis, Furst. Wiegm. Arch. 1851, pp. 38^/ 59. 



$ . Head finely alutaceous, moderately closely but not very distinctly 

 punctured, and with very short pubescence ; vertex rather strongly convex. 

 Antennae short, not more than half the length of the insect ; first flagellar 

 joint distinctly longer than second ; fifth longer than broad ; the eighth 

 quadrate. Mesothorax shorter and less convex than the metathorax ; 

 scutellum distinctly indicated ; petiolar area low and short, much shorter 

 than the metanotum ; its basal costa present but weak, and only distinct 

 at the sides, though a trace may be seen above in a very good light. Ab- 

 domen with moderately close pubescence; first segment relatively short,' 

 strongly expanded towards the apex ; spiracles not projecting ; terebra 

 shorter than first segment. 



