British Ichneumonidce, Braconidce, S^'c. 263 



So far as it is derived from books, the Catalogue tells its 

 own story, but this is the place for mentioning some other 

 sources from which it has been materially enriched. These 

 sources were, correspondence with the regretted names of 

 Haliday and Desvignes — the collection of the latter, con- 

 taining a great number of named species not before pub- 

 lished as British — inspection of other collections, especially 

 Mr. A^'alker's, and including many small -contributions 

 from different parts of the country — and, lastly, the com- 

 piler's own efforts in collecting and determining fresh 

 species. Among the blanks in the British list to which 

 his attention was necessarily called, may be mentioned 

 Pezomachus, numbering now^ 48 species (the difficulty of 

 determining ^yhich Avill be duly estimated by any one who 

 makes the attempt), Bracon, Chelonus, and other groups 

 not included in Haliday 's " Essay on Parasitic Hymen- 

 optera." It would be tedious to particularize all the 

 species introduced for the first time, but a general idea of 

 their numbers may be formed by comparing certain genera 

 with the same in the few^ previous lists ; yet the compiler 

 is well aware that he has only added as it were a stone or 

 two to a heap. New^ species, generally of small size, are 

 everywhere easily to be discovered by collectors ; and more 

 than a hundred, probably undescribed, are still in the 

 writer's hands. Quite recently a remarkable addition to 

 the larger Ophionidte has become known to JNIr. Smith, 

 and will shortly receive due attention. Many additions 

 may be expected to the following genera, among others : 

 Phygadeuon, tLemiteles, Limneria, Mesochorus, Ortlio- 

 ceiitrus, Bracon, Aphidius. 3Iicrogasfer— and especially 

 to Pezomaclms. None of the peculiarly British forms of 

 this numerous genus appear in Forster's monograph. The 

 species oi Microgaster, described independently and simul- 

 taneously by several w riters, are in the same sort of con- 

 fusion as to their synonyms, as — say, for instance, Mylabris 

 in the Coleoptera — though their difficulties are rather 

 owing to art than nature. It is much to be regretted that 

 so wide and interesting a field for specialists with leisure 

 shoidd continue year after year unoccupied. 



A few doubtful natives, having for the present the 

 benefit of the doubt, appear in the Catalogue. Thus, 

 Euchroeus quadratus, p. 5, is liable to strong suspicion of 

 an alien origin. Mr. Smith says in litt. that he has good 

 grounds for supposing that the specimen described by 



