258 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. [Mesatractodes. 



more natural position. It appears to be allied to Spanotecnus and Phobetes 

 of Forster. I have seen but one species. 



Labial palpus of Mesatractodes. 



I. properator, JIa/. 



Atractodes properator, Hal. Ann. Nat. Hist. 1839, p. 120, {, 9. 



Head black, with the clypeus and mandibles rufescent and palpi infus- 

 cate. Antennae black, rufescent basally beneath ; of ? nearly the length 

 of the body, basally red, with the four central joints white, of $ longer 

 than body and not centrally crenulate. Thorax immaculate ; mesonotum 

 closely and evenly punctate, discally deplanate and sub-coriaceous ; meta- 

 thorax somewhat shining, apically sub-produced, with the lateral areae 

 complete ; areola of $ transversely hexagonal, of 9 triangularly elongate 

 and confluent with the apically carinate petiolar area. Scutellum black 

 and slightly convex. Abdomen nitidulous, glabrous, red, with the petiole 

 black and anus infuscate ; basal segment linear and margined throughout, 

 with the post-petiole explanate and glabrous ; petiole centrally canaliculate 

 and in $ punctate ; anus pubescent, terebra not exserted ; $ valvulae 

 elongate, curved and red. Legs red, with the evenly punctate hind coxae, 

 and tarsi, basally or entirely infuscate ; all the tibiae externally spinulose. 

 Wings hyaline ; stigma narrow and piceous, tegulae and radix ferrugineous. 

 Length, 7 mm. 



Haliday himself did not consider this species to belong to Atractodes^ 

 from which it differs in so many essential points, while presenting a very 

 similar facies, and Holmgren thought it to be allied to his A. varicornis 

 (Callidiotes coxator, Gr.), with which, indeed, it may prove to be 

 synonymous. 



It is recorded from England by Francis Walker, and near Edinburgh 

 in September. Bridgman says it is common in Norfolk, but it is signifi- 

 cant that he does not record the common C. coxator thence, and the same 

 may be said of Bignell's specimens from Bickleigh, in August. Dr. Capron 

 has taken several females at Shere in Surrey. Bignell's record of Atrac- 

 todes albovhictus from Bickleigh, in September, refers to the present 

 species. 



TRIBE. 



CRYPTIDES. 



SUB-TRIBE. 



MESOSTENINI. 



The Mesostenifii are instantly distinguished from the remaining Cryptides 

 by the small and quadrate areolet. The two genera here placed have 

 nothing in common but the peculiarly small and quadrate areolet of the 

 wings. In many respects the first resembles certain genera of the Trypho- 

 ninae., while I am strongly of opinion that the second, which appears to be 

 but little known to modern authors, must be relegated to the Ophioninne, 



