Ophmi] BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 271 



Winys hyaliiK', uilli all the cosla and ncrvurcs cjuite black lo apex ; stigma 

 dark ferrugineous, with its base almost white. Length, 15 mm. 9 only. 



Very distinct in its antennal structure and remarkably dark nervures, 

 which consequently appear much stouter than is usual in this genus. The 

 type has the lower basal nervure anteturcal in one wing and continuous 

 through the median in the other. 



This species doubtless preys upon some coast species of Noctuid moth, 

 since it was first found beneath a stone on the sandhills at Felixstowe on 

 the Suffolk coast on 6th May, 1897; and a second female was sitting on 

 7th xMay, I goo, under the ledge of a paling, actually resting in the sand 

 of the beach, within a couple of hundred yards of the same spot. So few 

 Ichneumons frequent the shore that I took these by chance while collec- 

 ting Coleoptera. 



7. stigmaticus, sp.n. 



Head small and posteriorly narrow, with eyes contiguous with ocelli 

 and base of the apically acute mandibles. Antennae elongate, distinctly 

 longer than body, slender and attenuate. Thorax unicolorous; basal 

 metanotal transcarina strong, the apical entirely wanting though the 

 petiolar area is centrally finely bicannate longitudinall}-. Third abdominal 

 S(,'gment distinctly constricted basally. Wings ample and hyaline, with 

 nervures not black; stigma clear ferrugineous, with its base almost while; 

 nervelet distinct. Length, 17^-20 mm. JV- 



The elongate antennae and much darker stigma with its obviously pale 

 base will distinguish this species from O. liifius, and its acute mandibles 

 from all the following. 



One form has the stigma very dark and cubital cell apicall\- narrow and 

 acute; in a second, which is hardly specific, the stigma is paler with cubi- 

 tal cell apically broader and obtuse. 



Probably quite an early species ; Col. Nurse has bred it in west Suffolk 

 on loth Xiarch, 191 2; both !Mr. Musham and I took it on 12th April, 

 1899, on sallow blossom at Lincoln and flying among Piiius sylvis/ris in 

 the Bentley Woods in Suffolk; Langford INIoor, Nottingham (Prof. Carr); 

 the latest date is June i6th, when the Rev. C. D. Ash caught it Hying over 

 heather at Skipworth in Vorks and thought it "very jjossibly parasitic 

 upon Agrolis aga/hiiia.'' 'Six. \\ . G. Clutten bred four specimens, together, 

 from Boarmia rcpaudata at Delamere Forest in 19 12. My other examples 

 are without data from Mr. J. A. Clark's collection and one had emerged 

 from its smooth, dull golden cocoon, which is infuscate at both extremi- 

 ties. Inclibald's letter to " The Field " of Jan. 3rd, 1880, may be noticed 

 in connection with Ash's record; he says that on Nov. i8th, 1879, in the 

 North Riding of Yorkshire he saw a whole flight of tawny-coloured 

 Ichneumon-flies of the genus Ophion on a moor. They kept constantly 

 alighting on the heads of the ling and heather, though it was diflicult to 

 discern their object in doing so. 



Since the above was written I have seen three New Forest males in 

 Lyle's collection : he says " This species evidently i)asses the winter in 

 the imago state but remains within its cocoon ; I liave opened the 

 cocoons and taken out the live and perfect ( )phions in December and 

 January"; he bred it from larvae of Trlpluitua Jimhria ami Xmlua xantho- 

 graplia\ and took it near ivy blossom on 15th October, 1908. 



