60 Rev. T. A. Marshall's monograph of 



began to crawl about. Towards noon they commenced 

 spinning white cocoons, and on the 10th ajDpeared the 

 first ichneumon, which was soon followed by the others. 

 The cocoons are of a very thin texture and, lying close 

 together, they are flattened at the sides by mutual 

 pressure. The egg-state lasts about eight days ; the 

 larva is full-fed in four or five days ; and the imago 

 appears after eight or nine days more. So that the 

 entire development of the insect is accomplished in less 

 than a month." Eeissig obtained the ^ from a similar 

 cocoon found between elm-leaves. The fact of external 

 parasitism is confirmed more recently by Brischke, 

 Schrift. nat. Ges. Danzig, n. s. V., iii., 136. 



IV. SPATHIIDES. 



Several singular exotic forms belong here, but the 

 only British genus is 



Spathius, Nees. 

 Nees, Act. Ac. L. C, 1818, p. 301 ; Mon. i., 11. 



Head cubical ; occip^^t margined. Maxillary palpi 5-, labial 3- 

 jointed. Aiateunse long and slender. Abdomen depressed, ovate, 

 with a long petiole ; segment 1 nearly as long as the rest taken 

 together ; 2 — 3 connate, forming about one-sixth of the remainder 

 of the abdomen ; suturiform articulation obsolete, Terebra elon- 

 gate. Cubital areolets 3, the 2d subpentagonal, its interior pos- 

 terior angle much produced, receiving the recm-rent nervure ; anal 

 nervure interstitial. 



This well-known genus has a considerable literature, 

 and may be found described at great length in Nees, I. c, 

 and Haliday, Ent. Mag., iv., 41 — 3. The two British 

 species are thus distinguished : — 



Wings fuscous with 3 white bands ; petiole as long 

 as § of the rest of the abdomen ; terebra not longer 

 than the abdomen . . . . . . . . . . 1. rubidus, Bossi. 



Wings subfuscous with 2 darker bands; petiole 

 nearly as long as the rest of the abdomen ; tere- 

 bra nmch longer than the abdomen . . . . 2. exarator, L. 



