132 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Vidua, Ruthe.* 



Somewhat similar to ocellata and very near tubercnUfera. 

 From the latter it is easily separated, having the first abdominal 

 segment shorter and broader and not gradually narrowed towards 

 the apex. Marshall says the cocoon most )*esembles that of 

 tiihercidifera, but is larger and more irregularly wrinkled. In 

 many cases this is so, but the extent and depth of the fluting 

 varies even more than in tuherculifera (Fig. 6). I have cocoons 

 o( vidua obtained from Euclidia mi, in which the fluting is more 

 regular and pronounced than in any cocoon of tuhercidifera I 

 have ever seen, while in others from the same host the wrinkling 

 is scarcely noticeable. The similarity between the cocoons of 

 the two species has led to some confusion, and I fear that collec- 

 1ors, on obtaining the deeply fluted examples, have referred them 

 to Wesmael's species without examining the insects themselves. 



This is ilie parasite of Euclidia mi, from which host I have 

 often bred it in late April and May, the insects having passed 

 the winter in the larva state within their cocoons. Some of 

 these I have obtained from New Forest larvas of the host, and 

 others have been sent to me from Limber, N. Lines (Cockayne^ 

 Eastbourne and Kent (Colthrup), and S. Coast and Colchester 

 (Harwood). Always a solitary parasite. 



Usually the hind femora are wholly or partially black, but 

 in Harwood's collection are three, bred from larvae of Apainea 

 hasilinea taken at Newbury, having the hind femora entirely 

 rufo-testaceous and, in two cases, the stigma bicolorous. I 

 cannot think these are more than a variety which is very near, 

 if not identical with, strenua, Eein. 



The parasite larva emerges from the dorsal surface of the 

 host and attaches its cocoon to the caterpillar. I have recorded 

 a similar habit of the larva of Diolcogaster circumvectus, though 

 in that case the cocoon of the parasite is carried erect on the back 

 of the host, while in M. vidua it is always in a horizontal position. 



From a number of cocoons of this species sent to me by 

 Dr. E. A. Cockayne from Limber, Lines, I reared several speci- 

 mens of the hyperparasite Mesochorus pectoralis. 



Buricola, sp. nov. 



Black, palpi pale testaceous, mandibles dark claret colour, sides 

 of first abdominal segment sometimes testaceous. Legs rufo-testa- 

 ceous, all the coxi«, base of trochanters, hind femora narrow-ly at 

 base (sometimes at apex also) and all the tarsi, except basally, nigres- 

 cent. Wings infumated with a darker stain under the stigma and 

 also in the first discoidal cell ; stigma and nervures dark fuscous, the 

 latter testaceous near base of wing. Antennae of male as long as 

 body, of female barely reaching the apex of first abdominal segment. 

 Mesothorax coarsely punctate, sutures scarcely indicated ; scutellum 

 * 'Berl. ent. Zeit.,' 1860, p. 1.34. 



