NOTES ON THE GENUS HEMIMACHUS. 5 
confused species, Hemiteles rufocinctus, Gr., which Mr. Marshall 
gives as= Hemimachus rufocinctus, Ratz.; this Hr. Brischke 
(l. c. 1878, p. 208) denies, and says they are different species, and 
that Hemimachus rufocinctus. Ratz.,is the male of P. instabilis, 
Foerst. The insect which stands in Mr. Marshall’s collection as 
H. rufocinctus, is according to Taschenberg (I. c.) not Hemiteles 
rufocinctus, Gr., and it certainly is not Hemimachus rufocinctus, 
Ratz., but quite a distinct, and I believe undescribed, species. 
Hemimachus rufocinctus, Ratz., has a finely-bordered, elongate, 
pentagonal, supero-medial area on the metathorax, and the abdomen 
clothed with scattered pubescence. Hemiteles rufocinctus, Gr., 
according to Taschenberg, has two transverse lines on the meta- 
thorax, but no supero-medial area, it wanting the longitudinal 
lines to complete it; he does not mention the state of the 
pubescence on the abdomen. Mr. Marshall’s specimens have a 
very short metathorax, without a trace of a supero-medial area, 
and only the posterior transverse line present, and that only 
defined at the sides; the pubescence on the abdomen is very 
dense, differing thus from the true male and female of P. instabilis. 
This species has also been taken by Dr. Capron, to whom I am 
indebted for a specimen. 
The next species, H. fasciatus, Fabr., I have already men- 
tioned ; there is no doubt about this species, it having been so 
frequently bred. 
The last, Hemimachus avidus, Foerst, has amongst its syno- 
nyms Hemimachus albipennis, Ratz. (l.¢.) as a winged form. 
Hr. Brischke says (I. ¢., 1876) that he “bred Agrothereutes hopet, 
Gr., from cases of Psyche viciella, and later a Hemimachus albi- 
pennis, Ratz., and on comparison there is no doubt but that they 
belong to the same species.” I do not consider this quite 
conclusive, as often various parasites are bred from the same 
host, as proved above; and generally speaking the male is the 
first, not the last, to appear. Hr. Brischke also says probably 
A. hopei, Gr., is only a variety of A. abbreviator, Gr. Thomson 
(Opuse. Ent. p. 504) under the name of Spilocryptus dispar, 
Thoms., says the female = Pezomachus = (Agrothereutes) abbre- 
viator, Gr., and the males = Cryptus pygoleucus, Gr. 
Having in the above remarks endeavoured to show the diffi- 
culties that enshroud the genus Pezomachus, I would earnestly 
plead to the breeders of Lepidoptera, to assist in clearing up 
