178 Transactions. 



but the posterior protarsus is only about one-half the sum of the remainder, 

 its epitarsus being but a little shorter. 



Wings (fig. 4) clouded with brown distally of the posterior angle of 

 discal cell, across which from the costa and through the marginal cell the 

 coloration is darker; proximally the wing is faintly yellow, with veins of 

 a similar colour, but distally the veins are brown ; a clear space in the 

 marginal cell along the 2nd vein and a slightly clearer space in the 1st sub- 

 marginal cell. The anterior branch of the 3rd vein may be either clouded 

 or unclouded. Axillary angle distinctly rounded. Anterior cross- vein and 

 3rd vein having a common origin from the 2nd longitudinal, the 1st sub- 

 marginal cell proximally acute. Anterior branch of 3rd vein arising almost 

 at right angles and gently curved to the costa, and a little longer than the 

 anterior cross- vein, which is anteriorly oblique and slightly curved. Third 

 longitudinal vein angulated at the origin of the anterior branch, and the last 

 section almost straight. Of the 4 posterior veins from the discal cell the 

 3rd is short, reaching only one-quarter of the distance to the posterior 

 margin. Length of vein between discal and 5th posterior cells but little 

 more than half the anterior cross-vein. The confluence of the 5th and 

 6th longitudinals about twice the length of the anterior cross-vein from the 

 margin. 



Abdomen linear in the $ but broadening beyond the middle in the $, 

 where it is wider than the thorax. In the <J the abdomen may or may 

 nor be restricted along the middle of the sides. There are 7 visible 

 segments ; the 1st four and a triangular spot on the anterior margin of 

 the 5th tawny, the remainder iridesc en t- violet ; the 1st is slightly darker. 

 Just before the posterior margin on the 2nd to 4th segments is a darker 

 narrow band not extending to the sides. 



The genital organs of both § and 3 are tawny. 



<J. Length, 7 mm. ; wing, 6 mm. 



$. Length, 8 mm. ; wing, 7 mm. 



Habitat. — Throughout New Zealand ; not rare. Principal localities : 

 Bay of Islands, Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, and Otago. To be found _ 

 from October to February. 



E. straznitzkii Nowicki. 



E. straznitzkii Nowicki, Mem. Krah. Ahad. Wissen., 2, p. 14 (1875) ; 

 Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 33, p. 4, and Cat. Dipt. N.Z., 

 p. 36. 



A moderate-sized fly, purplish in colour, with tawny scutellum and legs 

 and a transverse cloud on wing. 



$. Head broader than the thorax at the humeri ; eyes bare and dichoptic, 

 occupying almost the whole of the head in profile ; a delicate restriction 

 across the eye from just above the antennae, becoming faint toward the 

 occiput ; facets of uniform size. Front depressed, of a shiny blackish- 

 blue colour, with a dense silvery pubescence just above the antennae, other- 

 wise with minute scattered hairs ; on the front above the antennae is a 

 circular depression from which runs a central groove to the base of the 

 antennae. 



Antennae elongate, about one and a half times the width of head and 

 situated a little below the middle line ; dark brown, except the 2nd joint 

 and the 1st segment of the 3rd which are brownish yellow ; 1st joint 

 about one and a half times the length of the 2nd, and with a vestiture of 

 delicate black bristles ; 2nd joint with stronger bristles ; 3rd joint pubes- 

 cent, densely so distally concealing the segmentation. When cleared and 



