Miller. — Bionomic Observations on New Zealand Diptera. 227 



The Nuggets is a rocky headland about sixty-five miles south-west of 

 Dunedin. To the north of this headland are extensive stretches of sandy 

 sea-beaches backed by dense native undergrowth ; in certain places swamps 

 exist. 



Barewood is situated inland, about twenty-five miles north-west of Dun- 

 edin, and about 820 ft. above sea-level. This locality is well named, the 

 vegetation consisting of tussock, matagouri scrub, and a small plant with 

 a yellow flower called the Maori onion {Bulbinella Hookeri). The Taieri 

 River runs, in a deep gorge, through this locality. 



Taieri Mouth is the name applied to the beach where the Taieri River 

 meets the sea, about twenty-two miles south-west of Dunedin. This beach 

 has much the same formation as that at the Nuggets. 



Series 'ORTHORRHAPHA BRACHYCERA. 



Fam. Stratiomyid^. 



The members of this family inhabit flowers, and vary in size, some 

 being small, while others are inclined to be large. Certain of the species 

 are distinguished by the bright green of the abdomen. 



Beris violacea. 



This is a small species measuring about 4 mm. in length. I foimd a 

 single specimen at the head of Mapotaki Bay in November (1907) ; this 

 fly was resting on a bramble-bush growing near the mud-flat, which is 

 covered by the sea at high-tide. 



Odontomyia chloris. (Plate XX VIII, fig. 1.) 



Common during the season, but not to be observed in swarms. In 

 January (1908) I captured two specimens on the sea-beach of Taieri Mouth, 

 where, I think, they had been blown from the swamps behind the sand- 

 hills. The weather was very warm, sunny, and windy. At Roslyn, during 

 February of the same year, I captured another specimen, which was at rest 

 on a daisy exposed to the sun. Two more specimens were found in 

 January (1909) on Murdering Beach, and under similar weather conditions 

 to the preceding. Specimens of this species are common in gardens, and 

 may be found in most situations. 



Odontomyia collina. 



About the same length as the preceding, but sometimes smaller, the 

 sexes differing in size. One bright, warm, and windy day during December 

 (1908) I captured a single specimen at Barewood, Central Otago. 



Fam. AsiLiD^ (Robber-flies). 



Robber-flies, the most predaceous form of Diptera, are, as a general rule, 

 large insects which prey upon others. When a victim is captured, the 

 asihd bores a hole in the thorax by means of the horny proboscis, and 

 thus obtains the nutritive portions of the prey. 



Saropogon fugiens. (Plate XXIX, fig. 4.) 



During December (1907), at Taieri Mouth, this fly was exceedingly 



common. A number were captured among long grass near the bush. 



Vast numbers were found lying in a helpless condition at the margin of 



the sea, into which they had been blown by a strong offshore wind. I 



8*— Trans. 



