CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF BRITISH BRACONIDiE. 135 



ocellatcB, though the suturiform articulation is more pronounced 

 than in that species. Cocoons dark brown with an irregular, lighter, 

 medial band; firmly attached, crosswise, to a twig (Fig. 2). 



In the New Forest I have reared it from a half-grown larva 

 oi A. alni (September 16th, 1916), and have also from A. psi. 

 A solitary parasite. 



Spectabilis, Hal."^' 



The smallest species ; wings not so dark as in tristis, and 

 usually with a yellow spot at the inner angle of the stigma. 

 The hind femora are generally more or less infuscate, though I 

 have specimens in which they are pure rufo-testaceous. Cocoons 

 similar to those of M. tristis. 



From a larva of DyscJiorista fissipuncta sent me by Mr. T. 

 Grosvenor from Redhill I obtained a brood of twenty-two, and I 

 captured two specimens in May, 1917, near Cambridge. Harwood 

 has a female taken by Cameron at Cadder which bears Marshall's 

 label. 



Mediator, Hal.f 



A small species, distinguished by its pale antenna (the first 

 seven or more joints of the tlageJlum are flavo-testaceous), and 

 commonly reared from larvas of noctiue. Gregarious, in broods 

 of from ten to twenty-two. The larvae emerge in almost equal 

 numbers from either side of their host, and construct their 

 smooth tan-coloured cocoons in two compact masses which are 

 not attached to the caterpillar (Fig. 5). The host always remains, 

 as if brooding over the cocoons, until its death : as a rule, this 

 does not take place until a fortnight or so after the parasite 

 larvEe have emerged. I have numerous broods obtained from 

 larva3 of T ripliana fii)ihria and T. janthina in April and early May, 

 all from the New Forest. The hosts perished when about half- 

 grown, and I think it probable that they were "stung" before 

 hybernation. 



Mediana, Euthe.I 



Very similar to mediator, but differing therefrom in having 

 the antennae dark and the second and third segments of the 

 abdomen almost entirely testaceous. Tt might very easily be 

 taken for a pale form of tube rcidif era, though Marshall tells us 

 the cocoon is greenish-white. 



In Harwood's collection are two specimens labelled ''mediana, 

 Ruthe" in Marshall's writing; on the back of one card is written 

 "Brundall, 28/7/81"; probably they were at one time in 

 Bridgman's collection. 



'/'uberculifera, Wesm.§ 

 One of the commonest species we have ; has been reared 

 many times, as a solitary parasite, from young larvae of nuctuce. 



* ' Ent. Mag.,' ii, p. 23G. f ' Ent. Mag.,' ii, p. 235. 



I ' Bed. ent. Zeit.,' 1860, p. 127. § ' Nouv. Mem. Ac. Brux.,' 1837, p. 43. 



