BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 93 



ficially some of the larger Fhaeogenes, and this is accentuated by the fact 

 that the metathoracic spiracles are not quite constant in conformation, 

 becoming at times almost elongate-oval, but from every Phaeogenes it is 

 instantly distinguished hy the absence of a transverse linear impression on 

 the second segment. From its allies it may be known by its small size, 

 generally bright red abdomen, the anus of which is not dorsally white, the 

 small thyridii and thoracic spiracles, by the absence of vertical dots on the 

 head, and by the transversely costulate sides of the metathorax. 



The female, which hibernates in moss, &c., appears to be of much more 

 frequent occurrence than the male, which I have not seen. Probably a 

 common species with us. Stephens found it uncommonly about London, 

 in June. I have several examples, taken in the New Forest, by Miss 

 Chawner, and at Guestling, near Hastings, by the Rev. E. N. Bloomfield. 

 It is probably mixed with Phaeogenes in collections ; and is wadely dis- 

 tributed on the Continent. 



10. heracleanae, Bridg. 



Ichneumon herac liana, Bridg. Trans. Ent- Soc. 1884, p. 421, ?. /. heradianae. 

 Berth. Ann. Soc. Fr. 1895. p. 277, ? . 



A rather small red and black species, with dark legs. Head black, 

 narrowed behind the eyes ; face centrally prominent ; clypeus distinctly 

 discreted, broadly rounded in front and sparsely punctate. Antennae 

 filiform, not or scarcely attenuate at apex, half as long as the body, 

 white-banded, apically reddish beneath. Thorax black ; sternauli and 

 notauli distinct ; metanotum rugulose, with complete upper areae ; areola 

 broad triangular, basally pointed and apically emarginate in the centre, 

 broadly rounded at the angles ; spiracles short oval, equilateral and 

 oblique. Scutellum indistinctly punctate, black. Abdomen elongate- 

 ovate, black ; segments two to four and apex of one red ; post-petiole 

 distinctly punctate throughout, with weak carinae ; gastrocaeli small, 

 shallow and indistinct, the intervening space broad and closely punctate ; 

 terebra very slightly exserted. Legs piceous ; coxae, and more or less of 

 the hind femora apically, black ; hind femora more or less broadly red at 

 the base ; hind coxae finely punctate, not scopuliferous, but indistinctly 

 trans-sulcate centrally beneath. Wings hyaline ; stigma fuscous ; areolet 

 sub-pentagonal, narrowed above. Length, 8 mm. Male unknown. 



The sub-oval metathoracic spiracles are so short as to somewhat ap- 

 proach those of the Phaeogenides, but there can, nevertheless, be no 

 doubt that this species is here correctly placed, in spite of the immaculate 

 vertex ; by the same characters, as well as by the five black segments, it 

 may be at once distinguished from its allies. 



Mr. Bignell has kindly presented me with one of the original specimens, 

 which was bred by himself from Depressaria heradeana, on 12th August, 

 J 878; the late Mr. Fred. Smith named it /. vaci/lato/ius, at the British 

 Museum; and it is recorded under that name in Entom. 1878, p. 254, 

 where the former remarks that he bred thirty-seven parasites out of fifty- 

 eight of the host's pupae in Heracleuin spJiondylium, and that it makes no 

 pupa-case of its own, but undergoes its metamorphoses in that of its host. 

 Five years later it was bred from the same host by Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher, 

 and Bridgman then described it as new. Bridgman took one specimen 

 at Lynn, Norfolk, and others are thought to have been bred from the 



