Stilpnus.'] BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 243 



the thorax ; post-petiole gradually dilated apically, nearly twice longer 

 than broad and as long as the linear petiole ; terebra not exserted. Legs 

 slender, luteous, with the hind coxae sometimes basally infuscate ; S with 

 the hind tarsi and apices of their tibiae infuscate. \Vings of 6 hyaline, of 

 $ slightly clouded ; stigma piceous, radix and tegulae pale testaceous ; 

 areolet {)entagonal with the external cubital nervure somewhat indistinct ; 

 lower angle of the discoidal cell not or hardly acute ; nervellus a little 

 antefurcal. Length, 3-4 mm. 



The whole insect, as well as its legs and antennae, is more slender than 

 S. gagates ; the longer legs and far less posteriorly abruptly narrowed head 

 will at once distinguish it from ^. dep/atiaii/s. 



Curtis, who thought this species perhaps no more than a variety of 

 S. gaga/es, records it as not uncommon in Ireland from June to August, 

 and also from St. John's Wood. Stephens says it is less abundant than 

 S. gagates, but is found at Darenth Wood in June and July. It has also 

 occurred at Eaton in July; Cann Quarry in Devon, late in September; 

 Maldon in Essex and Shere in Surrey. I have found the female upon 

 a house window at Witnesham and Monks' Soham in Suffolk, early 

 in September ; and flying about an evergreen shrub in an Ipswich 

 garden as late in the year as October 25th, which date points, I think, 

 to hibernation. 



3. dryadum, Curt. 



Stilpnus dryadum. Curt. B. E. fol. ei pi. ccclxxxviii. ; Ste. 111. M. vii. 210 ; S. v. 

 Voll. Schets. I. pi. i. fig. 4, tJ 9 . 



A black and shining species. Head of S strongly buccate posteriorly, 

 with frons sparsely punctate and centrally longitudinally canaliculate. 

 Antennae basally stramineous, with the scape sometimes black above ; of 

 ? with but fourteen joints. Abdomen of 6 with a pale ochreous band 

 at the anterior margin of the second and third segments ; of ? rarely 

 entirely black, usually with a broad ochreous stripe down the back of 

 segments two to four, a spot at the apex of the first, and the margin of the 

 second, pale ochreous ; post-petiole centrally canaliculate. Legs ochreous, 

 with the apices of the tarsi nigrescent. Wings basally flavescent, with the 

 stigma and nervures testaceous. Length, 4-6 mm. 



No subsequent author has supplemented the above meagre description 

 given by Curtis, who, however, adds much in his figure of what is lacking 

 in words. I follow Bridg.-Fitch in ascribing van VoUenhoven's figure to 

 this species ; he represents the ? abdomen as ovate, and that of the S ^s 

 apically sub-truncate. The ? coloration recalls certain Panargyrops. 



This species, which is still unnoticed upon the Continent, has not been 

 recorded from Britain since Haliday took the type specimens of both sexes 

 on oak trees in (ialway. In Dr. Ca[)ron's collection I have four ^ $ 

 which are, there can be but little doubt, referable to this species; they 

 were probably ca[)tured in Surrey. I'\irther, I have myself taken the same 

 species at Bart(jn Mills, in Suffolk, in June, and jic^ssess a specimen from 

 Marshall, from Nunton in Wiltshire. 



R 2 



