On the BombyUid Fauna of South Africa (Diptera). 21 



BOMBYLIUS RUFICEPS, Macquart (1840). 

 Dipt. Exot, ii, 1840, pi. vii, tig. 5. 



A species distinguishable by its greater size (length of body 12 mm., 

 of proboscis 5 mm.), red underside of proboscis and entirely black 

 abdomen. 



A single male specimen from Bushmanlaud, Jackal's Water (Cape), 

 October, 1911 (E. M. Lightfoot). 



Face yellow ; second and third anteunal joint black ; palpi yellow ; 

 occipital hairs long and shining white. Hairs of body dense and 

 entirely yellowish. Scutellum red, with black base. Abdomen entirely 

 black, even on the venter ; its apical half clothed with whitish hairs. 

 Legs yellow, the two apical joints of the tarsi black ; hind femora with 

 numerous vellow bristles. Wings distinctly vellowish at base and fore 



* / / 



border ; veins as in mundus, but first posterior cell short and long- 

 stalked. Discoidal cell broad and very obtuse outwardly. 



It is interesting to note that in the same place and time are found 

 together numerous species of the present very homogeneous group, viz. 

 brachyrrhynchus, impurus, mundus, sessilis, xanthocems, paterculus, 

 and ruficeps. In the European Fauna a similar fact is often to be 

 observed in the species of the allied group minor. 



(C) GrKOUP OF B. MICANS. 



This group has been well charactei'ised by Loew in his work on the 

 South African Fauna, together with the statement that it is the most 

 abundant in species at the Cape and that the distinction of the species 

 is a very difficult one. But Loew has known only species with a brown 

 fore border on the wings, like micans ; there is, however, a long series 

 of species with entirely hyaline wings, and another with spotted wings. 

 These last species have nothing to do with the group medius, as those 

 with a dark fore border have nothing to do with the group major. 



The principal features of the group are as follows : Eyes of male 

 separated ; head with strong bristles on frons, and usually on the 

 genae also ; antennae with the first joint not thickened, and the third 

 very long and thin ; thorax with very strong bristles in front, on the 

 shoulders ; hind femora provided below with very long and strong 

 bristles, even near the base ; pulvilli very short, much shorter than the 

 claws ; wings with a very large basal comb, formed by strong bristles ; 

 discoidal cell very obtuse at end, the vein dividing it from the second 

 posterior cell being rather long ; discal cross-vein usually placed after 

 the middle, and often 011 the last third of the discoidal cell ; upper 

 branch of the cubital fork much retreating at base. 



