CONTKIBUTIONS TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BRITISH BRACONID^. 229 



species of Microdus with the dividing nervure well marked, 

 Others, quite undoubtedly belonging to the genus Earinus, have 

 the nervure but faintly indicated or even widely interrupted. It 

 seems to me that the genera may be more certainly separated 

 bj' the presence or absense of deep mesothoracic sutures. In 

 Microdus these sutures are distinctly and deeply marked, while 

 in Earinus they are entirel}' absent or only very feebly indicated. 

 This character was brought to notice by Eeinhard. I find also 

 that in Earinus the metathorax is much smoother than in 

 Mici'odus. 



Table of Species. 



(10) 1. Tubercles of first abdominal segment not 

 prominent. 

 (9) 2. Third segment of abdomen smooth or at 

 most feebly and partially striolate, and 

 without a distinct curved transverse 

 impression. 



(4) 3. Mesothorax and scutellum rufous . nitidulus var., 



thoracicus, Nees. 



(3) 4. Mesothorax and scutellum black. 



(8) 5. Hind coxeb rufous ; terebra as long as ab- 

 domen or thereabouts. 



(7) 6. Length 7-8|- mm. ; hind tibis white at 



base. ...... nitidulus, Nees. 



(6) 7. Length 4-4^ mm. ; hind tibite ochreous at 



base ...... ochropes, Curtis. 



(5) 8. Hind coxae black, terebra as long as body delusor, Wesm. 

 (2) 9. Third abdominal segment striolate and 



with a very noticeable curved transverse 

 impression .... transversns, sp. nov. 



(I) 10. Tubercles of first abdominal segment 



prominent .... tuherculatus, Wesm. 



Earinus nitidulus, Nees.* 



A large shining species with hyaline wings, the third abscissa 

 of the radius sinuated and the terebra equal in length to the ab- 

 domen. Thomson considered this to be the same as gloriatonus 

 Paneyt; the synonym, however, presents difficulties. All the 

 examples I have seen agree with the original description excepting 

 that the obtuse medial carina on the first abdominal segment is in 

 distinct or wanting, though there is an elongate central depression, 

 on either side of which is a carina, in some eases bifid as 

 mentioned by Nees ; these characters are variable and difficult 

 to seize. Marshall's description in the ' Transactions of the 

 Entomological Society ' seems to imply that all the tarsi are 

 black, but in all the specimens I have examined only the hind 

 pair are dark. For many years the name was retained in our 



* ' Mod.,' vol. i, p. 144. 



t 'Faun. Ins. Germ.,' vol. ix, p. 102, t. 17. 



