INTRODUCTORY PAPERS ON ICHNEUMONID. 29 
species, e.g., the very large and pretty Rhyssa persuasoria and 
the black Hphialtes, with their long ovipositors; Glypta, also, is 
a pretty genus; but it must not be concealed that many of the 
genus Pimpla have far from a pleasant odour when handled. 
The Agriotypide coutains but one genus with a single species ; 
this Mr. Walker was fortunate enough to detect as parasitic on 
certain Trichoptera, hence it is somewhat aquatic in its habits. 
Part III. of the Entomological Society’s Catalogue of British 
Insects contains the Ichneumonide. This is compiled by the 
Rev. T. A. Marshall, and a most laborious task it must have 
been; but, as might be expected from so conscientious a worker, 
it is almost perfect, and must remain the standard for all future 
British work on the subject. The author’s remarks (Trans. Ent. 
Soc. Lond., 1872, p. 259, and Ent. An., 1874, pp. 114—146) 
should also be consulted. This catalogue is full of the necessary 
citations and references to the works and monographs of Graven- 
horst, Wesmael, Ratzeburg, Férster, Holmgren, and Taschenberg, 
and to the scattered papers or less important works of Zetterstedt, 
Ruthe, Kriechbaumer, Thomson, &c.; and of our own Curtis, 
Stephens, Westwood, Haliday, Desvignes, &c. The later papers 
or works of Thomson, Kriechbaumer, Brischke, Holmgren, or 
Vollenhoven, are of necessity not included, as the catalogue was 
issued on November 4th, 1872. In it 1186 species of Ichneu- 
monide are included as British, distributed amongst 136 genera. 
Of these the author says that at least 15 species are doubtful 
natives: one of these, certainly, has been confirmed, and there 
have since been several additions made to the British list, while 
a few others have been overlooked. The extension of this list 
will not be difficult. Mr. Marshall had a large number of 
undetermined British specimens in his possession, the record of 
which his absence from this country will probably deprive us; 
however, one of the results of the present Ichneumon revival will 
be to add many species to the already large British fauna. 
Another and more important result will, we hope, be a large gain 
to our now comparatively small stock of knowledge on the 
parasitism and general habits of the various species; this also 
will help greatly to their more systematic arrangement, and give 
a solution to many of the problems connected with those species, 
of which one sex only is yet known, which happens very frequently 
throughout the Ichneumonide. No country can boast of such an 
