6 Transactions. — Zoology. 



Beris violacea, sp. nov. 



Head black, with a patch of silvery tomentum in front. 

 First and second joints of the antennae brown, the flagellum 

 fuscous, apparently 6- or 7-jointed. Thorax dull blackish- 

 brown, finely punctured all over ; the scutellurn slightly 

 bronzy ; humeral callus tawny (occasionally dark-brown). 

 Abdomen dark-blue, shining. Legs brown, with variable pale 

 markings ; generally the bases of the femora and the first 

 joint of the hind tarsi are pale. Wings smoky, the stigma 

 and veins black ; a darkish cloud below the stigma. Length, 

 4 mm. ; wings, 4 mm. 



Hab. Christchurch and Otago (F. W. H.). 



The eyes are not contiguous in the male. In both sexes 

 the abdomen is oval. The second posterior cell is sessile, 

 with a broad base. 



Beris micans, sp. nov. 



Head black (the antennae are broken off). Thorax brilliant 

 greenish-blue, including the scutellurn ; the spines tawny. 

 Abdomen black. Legs pale-tawny, the last joints of the tarsi 

 fuscous. Wings tinged with pale-brown, the stigma rather 

 darker. Length, 5 mm.; wing, 4 mm. 



Hab. Auckland (Captain Broun). 



This species is so distinct that I have given it a name, 

 although I have seen only a single specimen without antennae. 

 The second posterior cell is sessile. 



Beris substituta. 



Beris substituta, Walker, Cat. Dipt, in Brit. Mus., part v., 



Supp., p. 12 (1854). Actina substituta, Hutton, Cat. Dipt 



N.Z., p. 34. 



Thorax dull-green or bronzy. Abdomen purplish-cupreous. 

 Legs tawny, with brown bands on the femora and tibiae. 

 Wings greyish, the stigma and veins black. Length, 4 mm. 



Hab. Auckland (Colonel Bolton). 



This species is unknown to me. 



Beris cuprea, sp. nov. 



Head black, first and second joints of the antennae dark- 

 red, the flagellum dark reddish-brown. Thorax and scutel- 

 lurn brilliant bronze, the spines tawny. Abdomen blackish- 

 brown in the female, purplish-black in the male. Legs pale- 

 tawny, the last joint of the tarsi black. Wings tinged with 

 tawny, the stigma rather darker. Length, 4 mm. ; wing, 

 4 mm. 



Hab. Auckland and Maketu (Captain Broun). 



In the male the eyes are contiguous, the abdomen is 

 ' narrow and linear, and the second posterior cell is petiolate. 



