PTEROMALIDAE OF N.W. EUROPE 347 



meadow between Wytham Wood and the River Isis (Graham), in Hope Department, 

 University Museum, Oxford. 



Paratypes. Same locality as holotype, i <$, 2g.vi.1951, 1 <$, 3 $, n.vii.1951 

 (Graham) ; Buckinghamshire, Hell Coppice, near Oakley, 2 $, 24. vi. 1958 (Graham) ; 

 Oxfordshire, Otmoor, 3 <$, 6.vii.i962 (Graham), in Graham collection. 



Biology. Unknown. 



P. herbacea appears to be most closely related to paludum sp. n., from which it 

 differs in having the basal cell of the fore wing less pilose distally, fourth flagellar 

 segment distinctly larger than third, fifth segment quadrate or only slightly 

 transverse, ovipositor of female less strongly exserted. The male might be confused 

 with that of eximia Haliday, from which it differs in the characters noted in the key 

 to males. The female is extremely close to that of graminea Haliday, differing only 

 in the small features given in the key to females. 



Pirene graminea Haliday (agg.) 

 (Text-fig. 283) 



Pirene graminea Haliday, 1833 : 338, $. 



Macroglenes microcerus Haliday, 1844 : 295 [ex parte ($)]. 



Type material. In the BM(NH) 9 specimens, mounted on two cards, stand as 

 graminea ; but in my opinion they are probably not Haliday material. 



In Haliday's collection, Box 23, there is a female (No. 1661) with a green label 

 " graminea " in Haliday's handwriting and a modern label " Ireland, Haliday " ; 

 I designate it LECTOTYPE. 



Haliday (1844 : 295) synonymized graminea with his Macroglenes microcerus (of 

 which he evidently knew only the male). However, I have been able to associate 

 with the female of graminea several males which differ from those of microcera ; 

 hence I regard the two as valid species, although the female of microcera is still 

 unknown. The males which I regard as those of graminea are rather variable as 

 regards the size of the eyes and of their facets, and in the shape of the stigma of the 

 fore wing. Possibly this is within the range of variation of a single species, but it 

 may be worth while to note its details. The males which I have measured seem to 

 fall into two forms, as follows : 



(1) Eyes 1-3-1-32 times as long as broad ; large facets in upper part 30~33(x in 

 diameter. Stigma of fore wing moderate-sized, tending to be subcircular, more 

 distinctly petiolate than that of <$ microcera. 



(2) Eyes 1-4-1-41 times as long as broad ; large facets 28-29 V- m diameter. 

 Stigma of fore wing subcircular to triangular, sometimes nearly as large as in £ 

 microcera, sometimes only shortly petiolate. 



The hind tibial pecten of the males of graminea (agg.) resembles that of penetrans. 

 The pecten of the female is illustrated in Text-fig. 283. 



Britain, Ireland. I have examined specimens from the following localities : 

 England, Berkshire, Wytham, 1 £, n.vii.1951 ; Lancashire South, Formby Moss, 



