British Braconid(B. 53 



III. RHYSSALIDES. 

 Head transverse, occiinit faintly margined. Abdomen short, 

 subpetiolated, suboval or spathuliform ; tbyridia of segments 2, 3, 

 inconspicuous ; suturiform articulation superficial. Three cubital 

 areolets, the 2d trapeziform, the 1st intercubital nervure being very 

 oblique ; recurrent nervure interstitial, or (in Colastes) slightly re- 

 jected ; pobrachial transverse nervure evected ; anal nervure not 

 interstitial. Terebra elongate. 



It will be seen that these characters are the same as 

 those of the Exothecides, with the exception of the occi- 

 pital margin, which, however, is very indistinct. The 

 separation of the two groups is perhaps unnecessary ; at 

 all events the interpolation between them of such dis- 

 similar forms as Spathiides, Rhor/adides, &c., in Fcirster's 

 table, does not tend to distinctness. The RJujssaUdes 

 make a somewhat near approach to CUnocentrus, from 

 which they are best distinguished by the absence of 

 rugosity on the abdomen. 



The few British species are of weak structure and 

 obscure colours. One of them is remarkable in its 

 habits, being an external parasite of lepidopterous larvae. 

 The three genera here adopted were united by Wesmael 

 under Exothecus, and separated by Haliday into Rhi/s- 

 salus and Colastes, of which latter Oncophanes is a 

 further section established by Forster. 



(2) 1. Hind tarsi shorter than their tibiae, the latter 



incrassated in the ^ . Metathorax com- 

 pletely areated i. Ehyssalus. 



(1) 2. Hind tarsi not shorter than their tibiae, the 

 latter simple in both sexes. Metathorax 

 not areated, or with only a medial bifid 

 carina. 



(4) 3. Kecurrent nervure rejected . . . . . . ii. Colastes. 



(3) 4. Eecurrent nervure interstitial iii. Oncophanes. 



i. Ehyssalus, Hal. 

 Hal., Ent. Mag., i., 266; iv., 53. 



Metathorax with a medial elongate area, and two on each side. 

 Post-scutellum armed with a conical tubercle. Abdomen short, 

 subpetiolated, deltoid or spathuliform ; 1st segment margined, 

 sculptured, the rest smooth. Femora subclavate ; hind tibiae in 

 the ^ incrassated, except at the base ; tarsi ^ ? short, the 3d pair 

 not longer than the 1st and 2d, distinctly shorter than their tibiae, 



