277 



flassus albovarius, Wollaston, Ann. Nat. Hist, i, 1858, p. 2 

 JSatsus tripicticrus, Walsh, Trans. Acad. St. Louis, 1873, p. 85. 

 Scolobatet vaeipes, Smith,* Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1878, p. 3. 

 ISassus ventulus, Saussure, Grandidier, Hist. Madagascar, Hym. 

 pi. xv, fig. 23 (rf). 



A shiniag and distinctly punctate species, black, with the 

 iscutelluin and the centre of. the hind tibiae white, the abdomen 



centrally and the apex of the 

 hind tibiae red. Face punc- 

 tulate, clypeus discrete and 

 apically emarginate. Mouth, 

 facial orbits, a mark before 

 the concolorous tegulae, scu- 

 tellum and post-scntellum 

 ,vhite ; antennae beneath, the 

 legs and centre or base of 

 abdomen more or less broadly, 

 red ; hind tibiae basally black, 



* and black beyond the pure 



white central band, with the 

 apex broadly red. Metathorax 

 subrugose, with the areola 

 Fig. 70. Sassus latatorius, F. short, entire and subtransverse. 



Abdomen deplanate and not 



apically com pressed, with the first tluve segments strongly punctate 

 or subscabriculous, bearing a distinct transverse impression 

 beyond; he centre of each ; basal segment subquadrate, centrally 

 elevated and bicarinate to the apical impression. 

 Length 3f-7 millim. 



BALUCHISTAN : Quetta, vii.03 {Col. Nurse); KASHMIR, v. 01 

 (Col. Nurse) ; PTTXJAB : Grojra (Pusa coll.), Ferozepur, 640 ft., 

 iv. 05 (E. BrunetiiIml. Mus.) ; EAJPUTANA : Mt. Abu (Col. 

 Nwst). Cosmopolitan. 



The extent of the red on the abdomen is the only variable 

 feature of this very constant species ; usually it extends through- 

 out the second and third segments, but I possess females with the 

 whole of the four basal segments red and others with the colour 

 restricted to the extreme apex of the second. The tri-coloured 

 tibiae will instantly distinguish it from all other BASSIDES. 



This is a very abundant species throughout Europe, and is one 

 of the most cosmopolitan of all ICHNEUMONID^ ; Ashmead says 

 its distribution extends throughout Asia, Africa, Australia, New 

 Zealand, Chatham Islands, Hawaii, Japan, the West Indies, and 

 both North and South America (cf. also Schrottky, Ann. Mus. 

 Buenos Aires, 1902, p. 93) ; in Britain it is abundant from the 

 Isle of Wight to Yorkshire, from the end of May to September. 

 I have taken it at artificial light ; but it is most commonly found 

 by sweeping herbage, and more especially upon horseradish, oats, 

 reeds, and the flowers of Heracleum, Angelica, Statice, Achillea, 

 and thistles ; I have also observed the females abundantly upon 



