DIPTEEA. 317 



CEROTAINIA. 



Oerotainia, Schiner, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xvi. pp. 602, 673 (1866); Reise d. Novara, 

 Dipt. p. 170 (1868). 



This genus and its allies are often misunderstood. For their definition the reader is 

 referred to a paper by the writer in ' Psyche,' 1889, p. 255. 



1. Cerotainia ? 



Hah. Mexico, Amula in Guerrero (//. H Smith). 



Three specimens. Two of them are teneral; the other must resemble C. argyropus, 

 Schiner, closely, and possibly belongs to that species. 



APHESTIA. 



Aphestia, Schiner, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xvi. p. 673 (1866). 



l. Aphestia mexicana, sp. n. (Tab. VI. fig. 2, $ .) 



5 . Black, moderately shining. Antennae black, the first two joints somewhat reddish. Front and face 

 densely greyish-white-pollinose ; head throughout with white hair and soft bristles. Mesonotum with 

 rather abundant, appressed, light golden pubescence. Pleurae thickly grey-pollinose. Scutellum with 

 bristles. Abdomen punctulate, with light golden pubescence, less apparent than on the mesonotum ; 

 hind margins of the segments, when seen from behind, white. Legs for the greater part light yellow ; 

 the femora for the most part, and the tips of all the tibiae, brown or black ; tarsi black. Wings nearly 

 hyaline ; first posterior cell narrowed. Length 10 millim. 



Hah. Mexico, Amula in Guerrero, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith). 



Two specimens, one of them teneral. This species must closely resemble A. hrasili- 

 ensis and A. calcarata, Schiner, especially the latter, but will be at once distinguished 

 by the more abundant yellow pubescence of the mesonotum. The front is narrowed 

 above, as in Atomosia, with the sides emarginate. The face is narrow, and arched in 

 profile. 



Aphestia is a valid genus, and the Mexican insect seems to agree closely in its 

 structural characters with the type. 



LAPHRIA (p. 185). 



3. Laphria ccerulea, sp. n. 



c? . Black • the mesonotum, abdomen, and legs brilliant metallic-blue. Face on the sides with tufts of bright 

 golden recumbent hair. Facial gibbosity abruptly prominent, black, with long black bristles. Antennae 

 black ; third joint a little broader distally, about one and a half times the length of the first two joints 

 together. Proboscis about as long as the vertical diameter of the head, obtuse at the tip. Sides of the 

 occiput below densely white-pollinose and white-pilose. The metallic-purple and blue colour of the 

 mesonotum is largely concealed beneath very short black hair. Pleurse thickly white-pollinose. Abdomen 



