136 M. W. R. de V. GRAHAM 



surface bare ; basal vein with three to four hairs only ; basal cell bare or with one to two 

 isolated hairs, open below ; speculum open below, the wing beyond it moderately thickly 

 haired ; marginal vein 2-3 to 2-35 times as long as the stigmal vein and about 1-15 times as 

 long as the postmarginal vein. Legs fairly slender ; spur of mid tibia somewhat more than half 

 as long as the first tarsal segment. 



Gastral petiole slightly longer than the propodeum, about 2-5 times as long as its median 

 breadth, finely reticulate ; its sides subparallel, with prominent teeth subbasally, and with two 

 hairs on each side. Gaster ovate, 1 -6 to 1-75 times as long as broad, somewhat shorter than but 

 about as broad as the thorax ; basal tergite occupying slightly more than one third the total 

 length, its hind margin sinuate with the middle portion very distinctly curved backwards ; 

 next tergite somewhat broader than long, nearly as long as the first ; following tergites much 

 retracted, except the last which is slightly shorter than its basal breadth. 



o*. Unknown. 



The female of this species is close to that of brevicornis (Walker) which differs as follows : 



Distal half to two thirds of basal cell of fore wing with scattered hairs. Mesoscutum nearly 

 or quite twice as broad as long. Gastral petiole barely 1.5 times as long as broad ; gaster 

 relatively longer, 2-3 to 2-5 times as long as broad, about as long as head plus thorax. 



Holotype $. England : Berkshire, Wytham, 13. v. 1959, swept from foliage of 

 Salix cinerea L. (Graham), in Hope Department, University Museum, Oxford. 



Paratypes. England : Berkshire, Cothill, 1 $, 19.V.1957, swept from foliage of 

 Salix sp. (Graham) ; Oxfordshire, Otmoor, 1 $, 6.vii.i956, swept from foliage of 

 Salix fragilis L. (Graham), in Graham collection. 



Biology. Unknown. 



Sphegigaster flavicornis (Walker) 



? Diplolepis pallicomis Spinola, 1808 : 227-228,6*. 

 Merismus flavicornis Walker, 1833 : 377,6"- 

 Sphegigaster flavicornis (Walker) Thomson, 1878 : 20,6* ?. 

 Sphegigaster flavicornis (Walker) ; Ferriere, 1959 : 97, 99,6* ?• 



Type material. Diplolepis pallicomis Spinola. I have not ascertained whether 

 the holotype male still exists ; if it does, and subsequently proves to be the same as 

 flavicornis (Walker), then the latter name will be replaced by Spinola's. 



Merismus flavicornis Walker. Four males in the series (one possibly not an 

 original specimen). One, bearing a Waterhouse label, " Sphegigaster flavicornis 

 Walker ", is selected as LECTOTYPE. 



Britain, Ireland, Sweden ; probably widely distributed in Europe. 



Biology. A common parasite of Phytomyza ilicis Curt., on Ilex aquifolium L. A 

 detailed account of its biology is given by Cameron (1959 : 192-197). I have also 

 seen a female reared in England, Middlesex, Scratch Wood, 2.viii.i955 from 

 Phytomyza ramosa Hend. (K. A. Spencer). Imagines appear in the field from May 

 until September, probably more than one generation. 



Sphegigaster cuscutae Ferriere 



Sphegigaster cuscutae Ferriere, 1959 : 98-99, 6* ?. 



