Trvphonides | BRITISH ICHNEUMONS. 129 
from the other Sub-tribes and grouped together under the name Ctenis- 
cini, whether theirabdomen be sessile or subpetiolate; thus they combine 
the more salient features of both the Tryphonini and Mesoleptini, between 
which I have ventured to place them, asa first step towards a more natural 
grouping. The Ctenopelmini are distinct from the foregoing in their 
pectinate tarsal claws, though their facies are scarcely more homogeneous 
than those of the Cteniscini. The only real difficulty to be contended 
with in these main divisions is between the Tryphonini and the Mesolep- 
tini, which run into one another in such a manner as to render any fast 
line difficult, though in the more extreme cases of abdominal sessility and 
petiolation their position is obvious. Excepting those genera placed in 
the Ctenopelmini, I have followed Thomson more or less closely in the 
position of his genera, though these are rarely here considered as more 
than generic divisions; consequently I may present a comparison of his 
distinctions of these two groups :— 
TRY PHONINI. 
Eyes glabrous. 
Pronotal epomiae large. 
Notauli wanting or obsolete. 
Sternauli and supracoxal areae 
often indicated. 
Abdomen SESSILE OR SUBSESSILE. 
First segment broad, always with 
discal carinae and its ventral 
membrane extending nearly to 
the base, very often with its 
spiracles BEFORE ITS CENTRE. 
Spicula simple. 
‘Tarsal claws often stout. 
MESOLEPTINI, 
Eyes sometimes pilose. 
Pronotal epomiae usually wanting 
or short. 
Notauli usually more or less dis- 
tinct. 
Sternauli and supracoxal areae very 
rarely indicated. 
Abdomen DISTINCTLY PETIOLATE. 
First segment basally petiolate, 
always. sublinear and elongate, 
with discal carinae sometimes 
wanting, membrane often short 
and spiracles ALWAYS SLIGHTLY 
BEYOND CENTRE. 
Spicula generally sinuately incised 
above. 
Tarsal claws simple. 
Table of Sub-tribes. 
extremely obsolete 
no trace of petiole 
stricted before base 
OO wm wp 
pectinate internally 
2). 1. Hind calcaria entirely wanting, rarely 
2. CTENISCINI. 
. All the calcaria normal and elongate, 
. Tarsal claws not at all pectinate. 
Abdomen sessile or subsessile, 
with 
1. TRYPHONINI. 
. Abdomen petiolate and distinctly con- 
. MESOLEPTINI. 
Tarsal claws more or less distinctly 
4. CTENOPELMINI, 
