Promethus | BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 121 

The @ rarely has a small black mark beneath the femora. The @ 
varies in having (1) the second segment apically brunneous, the third 
broadly citrinous basally, centrally black and apically red, with the hind 
femora black-marked beneath; (2) two stramineous mesonotal vittae, 
sometimes (3) coalesced with the concolorous anteradical lines and the 
fourth segment also tricoloured; and (4) its scutellum is rarely black. 
That 2. gracilentus is at all synonymous with this species | am by no 
means persuaded, and should suggest a position nearer Homocidus signatus, 
on account of the facial sculpture. I do not know what Bridgman under- 
stood by this name, which he applied to specimens taken by Bignell at 
Longbridge on 27th June and Bickleigh twice in September, in Devon ; 
but that it was an uncommon species is evidenced by his failing to dis- 
cover it in Norfolk himself. Francis Walker, too, is said by Rev. T. A. 
Marshall (Entom. 1872, p. 432) to have found &. gracilentus in the Isle of 
Man in 1869. 
P. laticarpus was described from Sweden and | possess an example 
captured by Marshall at Nantes. In Britain it is very uncommon and 
appears to occur singly by sweeping low herbage in the most boggy spots. 
Wilson Saunders took it at Greenings in Surrey in August, 1871; I have 
turned it up at Matley Bog in the New Forest in the middle of June; in 
Rockland Broad, Norfolk, inthe same month, and at Metton near Cromer 
at the end of August ; in Suffolk it has once occurred at Henstead Marsh, 
near Lowestoft, on 12th July, 1900, on long grass. 
7. pulchellus, Holmgr. 
Bassus sulcator, varr. 1 g, 3 et 4, Grav. I. E. iii. 321. B. festivus, varr. 2 et 
3, Gr. lib. cit. 316. B. pulchellus, Holmgr. Sv. Ak. Handl. 1855, p. 366; Brisch. 
Schr. Nat. Ges. Danz. 1878, p.113, ¢ ? (mec Desv.). Promethus pulchellus, 
Thoms. O. E. xiv. 1429; Morl. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1905, p. 429, ¢ ?. 
Black with the abdomen centrally, and the legs, red ; coxae black with 
the anterior apically pale; mesonotum somewhat dull and not strongly 
nitidulous ; ¢ mesosternum immaculate black. Length, 4—5 mm. 
This species is similar to P. /aticarpus in its mesonotal sculpture, wings 
and petiolar conformation ; but differs therefrom in having the mesono- 
tum, mesopleurae and scutellum entirely black or at most with only 
obsolete pale anteradical lines; the ¢ scutellum is not pale. From P. 
festivus it is distinct in its narrower head, duller mesonotum, longer wings 
and antennae, and less strongly compressed Q anus. The black hind 
coxae, not elongate basal segment, dull and confluently punctate 
mesonotum, and lack of citrinous colouration upon the abdomen will at 
once distinguish it from the remainder of this genus. 
It has a wide Continental distribution through northern and central 
Europe; Belgium (Jacobs, Ann. Soc. Belg. 1890, p. 124), France (Gaulle, 
Cat.), etc.; and I have seen it from as far east as India. In Britain itisa 
very abundant species everywhere* from 15th May to 19th October, with 
no diminution of its frequency during midsummer, and is usually found 
* Details of Localities :—Netley, Shropshire (Grav.); Lands End (Marquand) ; common in Norfolk 
(Bridgman), Winterton, Rockland and Surlingham Broads (Morley) ; Plymouth, Bickleigh and Plym 
Bridge, Devon (Bignell) ; Felden (Piffard); Finborough, Bury and Tostock, Suffolk (Tuck); Nunton 
in Wilts, Bugbrook in Northants and Cornworthy (Marshall) ; Gwydir near Trefriw, Wales (New- 
bery) ; Greenings (W. Saunders), Caterham (Champion), and Shere (Capron), Surrey. I have found 
it at Ryde in Isle of Wight, Hastings ; and in Suffolk ac Claydon, Needham, Monks' Soham, Wher- 
stead, Mildenhall, Brandon, Southwold, Ousden and Depden. 
