British Bmcomdee. 241 



mesothorax, and scutellum finely punctulate. Metathorax smooth, 

 shining, carinulated. Abdomen compressed beneath; segments 

 1 — 2 aciculated ; segment 1 twice as long as broad, miich narrower 

 than 2, which is as long as 3. Terebra subexserted. Valvula 

 ventrahs not reaching the anus, c? ? • Length, 1 ; wings, 2^ Hn. 



Very Hke flavij^es, but differently coloured. The sexes are 

 similar. Antennas about as long as the body, dusky above, the 

 scape testaceous. Pleurae smooth, punctulate only in front. Pectus 

 inftiscated posteriorly. Segment 1 with the sides parallel for 

 about f of its length, thence shghtly converging to the truncated 

 apex. Segments 1 — 3 with yellow lateral margins. Second cubital 

 areolet interrupted and decolorous on the outer side. The white 

 spurs of the hind tibiae are barely half as long as the metatarsus. 



A common autumnal parasite of Geometry. Bred by 

 Fabricius and Curtis from Iltimia luteolata, L, ; by 

 Hofmann of Stuttgart, Dorville, Parfitt, and Bignell, 

 from Boarmia gemmaria, Brabm. ; the latter bred 95 on 

 Sept. 3rd from a larva taken on August 19th. Pariitt 

 states that he has repeatedly found the cocoons on twigs 

 of the jessamine. Less frequent on the Continent ; un- 

 known to Wesmael and Brischke, not seen by Nees, spoken 

 of by Eatzeburg as a rarity, and Euthe only knew two 

 females received from Eatzeburg. The last writer informs 

 us that it also attacks Nematus septentrionalis, L., and 

 has been obtained by Eeissig, but females only, from that 

 sawfly; a fact that requires further verification. Cocoons 

 dirty white, regularly disposed in an alveariform mass 

 beneath the victim-larva ; the whole mass is bound 

 together by a strip of web round the edge. The same 

 habits belong to the larvae of M. flavipes, Hal., and 

 minutus, Eeinh. 



N.B. — Buckler's references to this species in E. M. M., 

 iv., 252, vi., 165, xiv., 184, are incorrect. 



2. Microgaster posticus y Nees. 



Microgaster posticus, Nees, Mon., i., 172, $; Euthe, 

 Berl. ent. Zeit., 1860, p. 150, ^ 2 . 



M. marqinellus, Wesm., Nouv. Mem. Ac. Brux., 1837, 

 p. 29, $ ? . 



5 . " Black, slender ; palpi and coxae whitish ; antennte beneath, 

 and mandibles, rufescent ; belly and legs pale luteous ; hind knees, 

 tips of the hind tibiae, and hind tarsi, fuscous. Abdomen narrow, 

 varied with luteous in the middle. Wings subhyaline, base and 

 squamulae luteous, stigma fuscescent. Mesothorax very thickly 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1885. — PAET I. (APRIL.) i; 



