l6 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 



I have already, in the Introduction, fully entered into the economy of 

 this species, and it is necessary to here only add that the host is attacked 

 usually immediately after its assumption of the final larval skin ; that the 

 full-fed parasite only occurs in its host's pupa, attaining this state between 

 the end of October and that of April ; in the latter month the parasite 

 assumes the pupal condition, extending over a month or six weeks ; the 

 imago usually emerges in June, through a dorsal orifice cut in the host's 

 chrysalis. 



PROTICHNEUMON, Thomson. 



Thorns. O. E. xviii. 1893, 1S99. 



Size large. Head not triangular, vertex broad with pale lunulae ; clypeus 

 apically sub-truncate, mutic ; mandibles stout, their apices bifid. Antennae 

 of? , and rarely of c^, white-banded ; flagellum of former attenuate apically. 

 ]\Ietathorax with deep basal sulcus ; basal area large ; areola elongate ; 

 petiolar area narrow, equilateral ; dentiparal elongate ; juxta-coxal distinct. 

 Scutellum somewhat flat, pale. Abdomen not convex ; post-petiole centrally 

 striolate-punctate, sometimes punctate throughout ; gastrocaeli and thyridii 

 large, strongly impressed ; abdomen red or black, anus not pale-marked. 

 'Wings normal, areolet pentagonal. 



This and the following genus are closely allied to the Ichneumonides, 

 and some forms are scarcely separable ; it requires considerable care and 

 the closest scrutiny, as Ashmead says, to detect the metathoracic distinctions 

 given in the table of Tribes before one can determine their correct position. 

 The Introductory Papers (Entom. 1880), embracing all those species of the 

 Wesmaelian genus Ichneumon, considered indigenous by Marshall, in 1872, 

 may with advantage be referred to in this connection, though they cannot 

 be considered to lead to final determination. 



The species of this genus are larger and stouter than any of the 

 Ichneumonides, and prey exclusively upon our largest Lepidoptera — the 

 Sphingidae. There are two Continental species not yet recorded from 

 these islands — /. rubens, Fonsc. and /. Jespen\ Holmgr. — but it is by no 

 means improbable they may be found, for the former occurs in France and 

 Germany, and the latter, much resembling P. eryihrogaster, in Sweden. 



Table of Species. 



(10). I. Abdomen for the most part red. 

 (9). 2. Head and thorax not ferrugineous. 

 (4). 3. Mesosternal tubercles large ; head and 



thorax flavous-marked i. FUSORIUS, Linn. 



(3). 4. Mesosternal tubercles small ; head and 



thorax white-marked. 

 (8). 5. Hind tibiae partly black ; 9 coxae 



scopuliferous. 

 (7). 6. Post-petiole striate hind tibiae apically 



black 2. PISORIUS, Linn. 



(6). 7. Post-petiole rugose ; hind tibiae mainly 



black 3. ERYTHROGASTER, Steph. 



(5). 8. Hind tibiae entirely fulvous ; ? coxae 



nude 4. FUSCIPENNIS, Wesni. 



(2). 9. Head and thorax mainly ferrugineous 5. disparis, Poda. 

 (i). 10. Abdomen black 6. LAMINATORIUS, /^«(5. 



