BRITISH ICHNEUMONS, 45 



the eyes, the temples less produced and the pale scutellar line is shorter ; 

 the stigma is also said to be darker. 



I see no reason to doubt that Stephens, who perhaps was unaware of 

 the variability in the colour of the legs, rightly named the specimens he 

 took rarely near London, more especially since it is one of the commonest 

 of our species of the genus Ichneumon {sensti Grav.). It is a common 

 parasite upon Abraxas grossularia/a, from which Bignell bred it, on 

 August 7th, in South Devon, and also from Bryophila g/andifera, on 

 June 30th. He says (Entom. 1880, p. 246) it emerges, as I believe do 

 all Ichneumoninae, direct from the host's cocoon. 



Stephens tells us the larva of the var. umbraculosus feeds on that of 

 Eyprepia caja and Abraxas grossulariata, and the perfect insect is very 

 common around London, in June and July. He also records it from 

 Salop and the New Forest. Brischke bred it from Trachea piniperda. 

 The female is often found hibernating beneath the bark of trees, and I 

 have met with it beneath that of oak, aspen and Pitms sylvestris in damp 

 situations, and also in the centre of woods, from October 5th to April 6th ; 

 on one occasion I found a cluster of five beneath the loose bark of a dead 

 standing fir. All the males I have seen have been taken in July, when 

 they may be seen investigating the hedgegrows. Bagley, Oxford (Hamm) ; 

 New Forest (Chawner) ; Bonhill, Dumbarton ; Pollockshields and John- 

 stone, Renfrew (Dalglish) ; Watford (Sladen) ; Appledore, Sussex (Beau- 

 mont) ; Carlisle, ex A. grossulariata (Day) ; Lewisham (Beaumont) ; 

 Settle, Yorks., ex A. grossulariata (Clutten) ; South Leverton and Ashby, 

 Lines., several males, in July (Thornley) ; Felden, Herts., (Piffard) ; Essex. 

 I have taken it at Claydon, Bentley Woods, Dodnash Wood, Martlesham 

 and Clopton, all near Ipswich. 



4. scutellator, Grav. 



Ichneumon scutellator, Gr. I. E. i. 175 ; Wesm. Nouv. M4m. Ac. Brux. 1844, p. 35; 

 Berth. Ann. Soc. Fr. 1894, p. 568, c5 ? ; Ratz. Ichn. d. Forst. i. 136 ; ii. 134 ; iii- 170, 

 (J ; cf. Thorns. Ann. Soc. Fr. 1S86, p. 17. /. digraminus, Gr. I. E. i. 179, i . Sten- 

 ichneumon scutellator, Thorns. O. E. xviii. 1966. 



So like the preceding .species as to need no distinct description. 



It differs from 6'. trilineatus in the head being much broader behind the 

 eyes ; the temples more produced ; the antennae shorter and more red 

 beneath ; the lateral pale line of the scutellum longer ; the hind legs 

 always red or yellowish ; the stigma of the wing red ; and the male has 

 the face flavous-white with a central black spot ; also the sides of the 

 areolet are wider above ; but the conformation of the head is probably 

 the only stable distinction. Gravenhorst himself doubted its rights to 

 specific rank. 



As in the preceding, the incisures of the central abdominal segments 

 are often more or less reddish. 



Desvignes possessed indigenous specimens and records it in his Museum 

 catalogue ; it is probably confused with S. trilineatus and I know of no 

 other British records. On the Continent it has been bred from Liparis 

 chrysorrhoea, Abraxas grossulariata and Trachea piniperda. 



5. rufinus, Grav. 



Ichneumon rufinus, Gr. Mem. Ac. Sc. Torin, 1820, p. 336; I. E. i. 4S1, 9, excl. 

 varr. ; Wesm. Nouv. Mem. Ac. Brux. 1844, p. 36 ; Bui. Ac. Brux. 184S, p. 151 ; 



