BY G. H. HARDY. 251 



Promachus doddi Ricardo. (Text-fig. 1). 



Promachus doddi, Ricardo, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (8), xi., 1913, p. 41-'). 



Description. — A male specimen identified by Miss Ricardo has the genitalia 

 <mite distinct from that of other species examined in the collections under revision. 

 ]t contains a pair of widely separated upper forceps, each branch of which is 

 conspicuously kidney-sbaped. Seen dorsally, in the centre there are two flat, 

 partly overlapping appendages which are undoubtedly the lamellae. Further 

 parts of the genital organs, usually covered bj' the forceps, are exposed in this 

 species. The upper forceps apically have a number of long thick bristles, and 

 there are three short bristles on the inner side, directed towards the median line 

 but not meeting. The whole surface is covered with hairs which become stronger 

 apically and merge into bristles. 



Obs. — In Mr. F. H. Taylor's collection there are two specimens of this 

 species and one, from which the above description is taken, was identifipd by Miss 

 Ricardo. Two other species in the same collection are unidentified. 



Genus A s I L u s Linnaeus. 



Obs. — White has given a key to the genera of the subfamily Asilinae* and 

 in it the forceps of the male genitalia of the genus Asilus are stated to be globular. 

 This character is typical of only a few Australian species and the remainder have 

 male genitalia of remarkal)ly diverse forms. The description "large, brightly 

 coloured species" will also only apply to a few as a number are sombre coloured, 

 and they range in size down to species no bigger than some belonging to the 

 group Neoitamus. 



The material upon which the . following study is based consists of the col- 

 lections in the Australian and Macleay Museums, the writers collection which 

 contains species from Western Australia, Tasmania and New South 

 AVales, the specimens from Queensland collected by Mr. F. H. Taylor, and tinally 

 a very valuable collection made by Dr. E. W. Ferguson containing species that 

 occur around Sydney and identified by comparison with specimens in the British 

 Museum. 



Asilii.t ref/iuri Jaennickc. and Asihis aureus White have not been recucnised 

 in the above collections. 



Characters. — The genus Asilus contains two subgenera in Australia. The 

 subgenus Neoaratus is represented by one species, iV. hercules Wiedemann, and is 

 distinguished by the male having the costal border of the wings inflated, and, in 

 addition, each branch of the upper forceps of the male genitalia is bifid. The 

 subgenus Asilus contains species without the costal inflation, and the upper for- 

 ceps of the male genitalia are of various shapes, with or without a process, but 

 not bifid in the known species. 



Key to the species of subgenus Asilus 



1 . The forceps of the male genitalia set v;ide apart and exposing other parts of the 



" .nital organs 2. 



The lorccps of the male genitalia concealing ' the other parts of the genital 

 organs j . 



2. The branches of the upper forceps containing an apical process on which is 



situated a branching appendix genitalis, n.sp. 



* Proc. Roy. Soc. Tas., 1917. p. 88. 



