Insects. 7581 



species (Zool. 7153) : " I may, however, remark that the number of 

 pale rings on the abdomen is three only, instead of five." (Mono- 

 graph says five or six, viz.^ " quinque aut sex cingulis flavescentibus,") 

 Now, though specimens are known having two, three, and seven belts, 

 yet it is remarkable that there are none recorded having five or six 

 belts ; therefore, in this particular, the amendment is nearer an 

 improvement, as it mentions the typical number of annuli on the abdo- 

 men, viz., three. Mr. Newman continues, " The indistinct whitish 

 annulus on the antennae of the female distinguishes this from all cog- 

 nate species." Taking Mr. Newman's "annulus" to be the "macula" 

 of Dr. Staudinger, the conclusions come to are certainly wrong, as this 

 same marking is in the other sex of the same species, but indistinctly, 

 and it is also on the antennae of both sexes of Chrysidiformis ; and in 

 the * Zoologist' (Zool. 4928), Mr. Newman describes the antennae of 

 the female of S. Scoliaeformis, " with a long whitish space on the apical 

 portion." In a male of this species that I possess (it was sent to 

 me by the late discoverer) the whitish macula is indistinctly to 

 be seen. In the female of S. Ichneumoniformis what is termed " pale," 

 " paler," in the middle of the antennae, is but a modification of this 

 marking, therefore I lake it that the mark mentioned would not 

 in itself be sufl5cient to " distinguish it from all cognate species." 



It is said that the specimen from which Mr. Newman drew up his 

 description, and which was printed in his Monograph, " is but 

 a damaged specimen of S. Ichneumoniformis." If this assertion be 

 true, it will account for the discrepancy between his description and 

 other authors. I will not say (until I have seen the specimen) whether 

 it is that insect or not, but of this I am certain, viz., that the greater 

 part of his description applies more to S. Muscaeformis (Esper) than 

 to S. Ichneumoniformis of authors. Having good specimens of the 

 new captures, — one, a fine female, taken by myself at Whitsand 

 Cliffs, Cornwall, last June ; others taken by Mr. King, of Torquay, 

 with notes of my own thereon. I have also two continental specimens, 

 obligingly lent to me by J. R. Hind, Esq., for the purpose of helping 

 me to identify the species ; and George Wailes, Esq. kindly furnished 

 me with copies of the descriptions of Sesia Philanthiformis, {Lasp.y 

 Och., Boisd.). Upon the before-mentioned materials I chiefly rely, 

 and have satisfied myself that the new Sesia is S. Philanthiformis 

 {Linn., Huh., dc.) and S. Muscaeformis {Esper). Both these names 

 are in the field, but one is quite sufficient ; 1 am not certain which 

 has priority, S. Philanthiformis has had its present name from the time 



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