METHOCA ICHXEUMONIDES. 45 



collar extending to the insertion of the wings ; the metathorax 

 obtuse; the anterior wings with one elongate marginal cell, 

 which is pointed at its apex, and extends nearly to the tip of the 

 wing ; three submarginal cells, the first as long as the two fol- 

 lowing, receiving the first recurrent nervure ; the second qua- 

 dr angular, receiving the second recurrent nervure, the third ex- 

 tending to the apex of the wing. Abdomen linear, the segments 

 subcrenate ; the hypopygium produced laterally into two vertical 

 plates, acute at their extremity, beneath produced into a long 

 upcurved acute spine. 



Of the habits of this genus we are in ignorance ; the single 

 British species is one of great rarity. M. Wesmael confirmed 

 the propriety of uniting the sexes, by taking them in coitu ; other- 

 wise the disparity of the sexes is so great, that they would still 

 have formed types of different genera. I suspect that, like the 

 Thynnidce, they will prove to be parasitic. 



1. Methoca ichneumonides. 

 Faimina. — Nigra, nitida ; thorace pedibusque rufis. 

 Mas. — Niger, immaculatus. 



Methoca ichneumonides, Latr. Hist. Nat. xiii. 269 $ . 



Guer. Icon. Reg. Anim. 429. t. 69. f. 7, 8. 



Curtis, Brit. Ent. vii. t. 329 $ . 



Shuck. Foss. Hym. 36. 1. 



St. Farg. Hym. iii. 573. t. 36. f . 2 <J . 



Nyland. Ap. Boreal. 19. 1. 



Wesm. Hym. Foss. Belg. 22. 

 Mutilla formicaria, Jurine, Hym. 266. t. 13. f. 49 ? . 

 Tengyra Sanvitali, Latr. Gen. Crust, et Ins. iv. 116 3 . 



fan d. Lind. Obs. i. 13. 



Lucas, Explo. Sc. Alger, iii. 287. 



Female. Length 2i-3i lines. — Head and abdomen black ; the 

 thorax, legs and antenna; ferruginous ; the head shining, with 

 a few scattered punctures ; the apex of the antennae fuscous ; 

 the anterior tarsi ciliated, and all the legs slightly spinose. Ab- 

 domen shining, the apex more or less ferruginous. 



Male. Length 5-5i lines. — Black and shining, with a scattered 

 griseous pubescence ; the face closely punctured, the vertex 

 more sparingly so ; the tips of the mandibles ferruginous ; the 

 prothorax punctured anteriorly, its hinder margin im punctate; 

 the mesothorax with large scattered punctures, and having two 



