8 



BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 



[^Plectiscus 



dilated ; basal carina of petiolar area strong. Abdomen with third seg- 

 ment, apex of second and base of fourth bright testaceous; the com- 

 pressed anus often concolorous; petiole of 9 about twice longer than 

 apically broad, subparallel-sided with postpetiole hardly broader than 

 petiole and finely though distinctly aciculate-shagreened, with tubercles 

 distinct and before its centre, with elongate lateral pilosity ; second seg- 

 ment nearly glabrous, hardly longer than apically broad, with very distinct 

 and subtriangular thyridii; remainder strongly compressed; terebra a 

 little reflexed, rather longer than half abdomen with spicula pale and the 

 basal ly incrassate valvulae piceous. Legs entirely pale flavous, usually 

 with hind tarsi and their tibial apices, rarely also apices of their femora, 

 infuscate. Stigma not narrow, piceous with both extremities pale, emit- 

 ting radius from slightly beyond its centre; nervellus geniculate and 

 subintcrcepted at its lower third. Length, 4-6 mm. 



Four of Dr. Forster's forms are here synonymised: — Var. conncxus 

 (Vehr. pr. Rheinl. 1871, -p. %()= procerus, lib. cit. p. 90) has the antennae 

 twenty-two to twenty-four jointed, with propleurae testaceous or ferru- 

 gineous. Var. spilotus {lib. cit. p. C)0 = collaris, Forst. I.e. p. 89) has similarly 

 jointed antennae, but the propleurae are mainly black. Var. praepositus 

 {lib. cit. p. 89) has the antennae only twenty-one jointed. The second 

 form was found by Bridgman during May and June at Eaton, near 

 Norwich. 



This is said to be one of the commonest species in north and central 

 Europe, though nothing is yet known of its economy ; it had not been 

 recorded from France in 1908, though van Burgst finds it about Breda in 



