276 BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. \Ophmi 



13. minutus, Kriech. 



Ophion minutus, Kriech. Ent. Nachr. 1879, p. 105; Thorns. O.E. xii. 1192; 

 Brauns, Arch. Nat. Meckl. 1889. p. 91, j ? . 



Extremely like O. ohscurus in its profuse flavidous markings, but abund- 

 antly distinct therefrom and closely related to O. parvidus (of which it is 

 probably a mere colour variety) in having the nervellus strongly post- 

 furcal, the distance from the nervelet to median nervure no longer than is 

 the second recurrent nervure, and in lacking all trace of basal metanotal 

 transcarina. Length, 8-12 mm. 



A species, in spite of Bridg.- Fitch's remarks to the contrary, fully as 

 rare as O. patTulus, with which a male occurred to me in the New- 

 Forest near Brockenhurst in the middle of May, 1895. A female was first 

 taken in Britain by Bignell at Laira in Devon on 4th June, 1878 (Bridg- 

 man, Entom. 1880, p. 54) and again at Bickleigh on 6th and loth June, 

 1898; the latter found it at Norwich ; T. Wilson flying along a hedge- 

 row near York (Yorks. Nat. i88i,p. 153) and Savage records it from 

 Fairlight near Hastings in 1880 (E.M.M. xvii, p. 236). Again on 20th 

 May, 191 1, I beat a male from oak at Palmer's Heath near Brandon in 

 Suffolk; and Mr. R. South has been so good as to give me a female, bred 

 about the 7th May, 1902, from Hybernia aiiraiitiaria in London. The 

 cocoon of the last is 9 mm. in length, dull brown with a dirty stramin- 

 eous central band and no irridescent reflection. Sweden (Thomson), 

 Belgium (Tosquinet), France (Gaulle); wide spread in Europe, though 

 mostly rare (Schm.); but Vollenhoven's record from Holland, with his 

 rearing from Noctua cruda and Pyralis foificnlis (Pinac. 62) must, judging 

 by his erroneous figure, be referred to O. ohscurus, as was pointed out by 

 Bridgman in 1880. 



14. ventricosus, Grav, 



Ophion ventricosus, Gr. I.E. iii. 702; Curt. B.E. pi. 600; Zett ^.L. i. 392; 

 Holmgr. Sv. Ak. Handl. 1858, p. 12 ; Tasch. Zeits Ges. Nat. 1875, p. 432, Thorns. 

 O.E. .\ii. 1192; Brauns, Arch. Nat. Meckl, 1889, p. 92, <? ? . 



A strongly punctate, stout, rufescent testaceous species with usually a 

 central facial line, frons and occiput, ocellar and scutellar regions, meta- 

 notum, sternal marks, hind coxae and 9 anus, black. Head posteriorly 

 as broad as eyes. Antennae as long as body and somewhat stout. Meta- 

 notum usually strongly carinate, discally coriaceous and dull, with the 

 small areola distinct and glittering ; petiolar area concave and coarsely 

 punctate, with stout apophyses. Scutellum subcarinate laterally. Wings 

 always strongly fiavescent ; nervelet short or wanting; lower basal nervure 

 continuous, subante- or subpostfurcal ; nervellus postfurcal and centrally 

 intercepted. Length, 14-16 mm. 



An extremely distinct species. 



Gravenhorst knew this insect from several central European localities 

 in June, but his largest example was sent by Hope, from Netley in Shrop- 

 shire; this was of 7I lines or 16 mm., than which I have seen none larger, 

 though Schm. tells us it extends to 20 mm. Holmgren says it is un- 

 common in Swedish woods at the end of May; but Vollenhoven's plate 

 xxviii, fig. 3, is misnamed; Schm. considers it one of the commonest 

 European species, and Tosquinet records it from Beersel and Gaud in 



