272 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 



3. nitidus, IVesm. 



Aethecerus nitidus, Wesm. Nouv. M(5m. Ac. Brux. 1844, p. 204; Thorns. O. E. xv. 

 1640; Berth. Ann. Soc. Fr. 1896, p. 363, i ^ \ cf. Bridg. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1881, p. 

 149, ? ■ 



Head black ; frons shining, .sparsely and somewhat strongly punctate ; 

 palpi and mandibles of ? red. Antennae of $ with basal half of flagellum, 

 or at least its centre, red ; of $ with the scape basally compresso-dilated. 

 Thorax black ; of $ with pronotum red and the areola twice longer than 

 broad, the latter of $ sub-quadrate. Abdomen black, with segments two 

 to four more or less red, as is also the basal segment of ? ; post-petiole 

 finely aciculate. Legs red ; apices of hind femora and tibiae, and in $ the 

 base or whole of latter, black ; $, with all the coxae and hind trochanters 

 black ; hind coxae of ? with dentiform cristulae. Tegulae ferrugineous ; 

 radix pale ; stigma piceous. Length, 7-8 mm. 



Bridgman (loc. cit.) says the hind coxae and basal segment are some- 

 times mainly infuscate, and the pronotum occasionally immaculate. 



From A. dispar, the $ of this species differs in its more closely and 

 strongly punctate frons, entirely or mainly red hind coxae, and rather 

 longer post-annellus ; the male has the scape less distinctly dilated and the 

 central segments red. 



Bridgman took this species, in July and September, at Earlham, Laken- 

 ham, Heigham and Gunton, in Norfolk, and adds that Mr. Atmore bred it 

 at Lynn from Cosniia diffinis ; Bignell took it at Plym Bridge, in Devon, 

 early in May ; Mr. Brunetti has given me an example from Rye House, 

 early in July ; and it has occurred to me at Ryde, in the Isle of Wight, 

 and at Barton Mills, in Suffolk, in June. On the Continent it is found in 

 Germany, Belgium, and in June, in France. 



4. discolor, Wesm. 



Acfhecertis discolor, Wesm. Nouv. Mem. Ac. Brux. 1844, p. 204; Brisch. Schr. Nat. 

 Ces. Danz. 1878, n. 6, p. 59; Hohngr. Ichn. Suec. iii. 413; Berth. Ann. Soc. Fr. 1S96, 

 p. 364, (5 9 ; Thorns. O. E. xv. 1640, excl. ? . 



Head not narrowed behind the eyes, black ; temples and cheeks sub- 

 buccate, the latter broad and, especially in $, auriculately produced 

 beneath the mandibles ; face shining, sparsely punctate ; mandibles and 

 palpi pale, those of c?, as well as the clypeus, white. Antennae filiform ; 

 scape not dilated, of $ white beneath ; flagellum ferrugineous, at least 

 beneath ; of ? sometimes with the central joints obsoletely white. Thorax 

 black; pronotum and callosities at radix red in ?, white in $ ; notauli 

 indicated ; metanotal areae complete ; areola hardly longer than broad, 

 basally rounded and apically sub-truncate. Abdomen black, with at least 

 the incisures red ; ? with segments two to four entirely red and six and 

 seven sometimes narrowly white ; post-petiole sub-rugulose or irregularly 

 aciculate ; thyridii transverse and distinct, basal impression not deep ; 

 terebra shortly exserted. Legs normal, red ; anterior with coxae and tro- 

 chanters of S white ; hind ones stouter, with base of coxae and usually 

 apex of femora, infuscate ; $ with apex of hind coxae white, and most of 

 their tibiae with the tarsi infuscate ; $ with a sub-obsolete coxal cristula. 

 Stigma red or fuscous ; radix and tegulae white, the latter sometimes 

 fulvous. Length, 6-8 mm. 



