6 MUSCIDiE. 



pale grey, with a slight yellowish tinge at the base and along the ad- 

 joining part of the fore border. Halteres pale, testaceous. Abdomen 

 black above, covered with hoary tomentum towards the tip, and with 

 spots of the same along each side. 



Eare. In the late Mr, Stephens's collection. (E.) 



5. atra, F. E. S. iv. 397. 3 (1781) ; Pz. ; Fal. ; Meig. ; Mcq.; Zett. 

 — aunulata, F. — -femorata, F. — tibialis, F. — cinerascens, Meig. — macu- 

 lata, Meig. — micans, Meig. — -pusilla (Meg.), Meig. — -fulvipes, Desv. ; 

 Mcq. ; Meig.; Curt.! B. E. 677. Nigra, capite albido vertice fulvo, 

 antennarum articulo tertio subtus fulvo, alis subcinereis, abdominis 

 macuhs utrinque apiceque cano-tomentosis. Long. 2-3 ; alar. 3^-5|^ 

 lin. 



Black. Head tawny above the antennae, whitish in front and beneath. 

 Antenna3 with the third joint tawny beneath, except at the tip. Wings 

 pale grey. Halteres pale, testaceous. Abdomen covered, with hoary 

 tomentum at the tip, and with spots of the same along each side. Hind 

 femora tawny, black towards the tips. 



Not rare. (E. S.) 



Subfamily 2. TACHINIDES. 



TacMnarice, Mcq. ; Meig. ; Westw. Zoobiae, Entomobice, Botanobia, et 

 Phasianea, Desv. TacJdnarida et Phasida, Bigot. 



Arista nuda aut ptibescens aut hasi plumosa. Thorax brevis. Alula 



magnce. Pedes longitudine mediocres. 



Arista bare or pubescent or plumose at the base. Thorax short. Alula 

 large. Legs of moderate length. 



Parasites of other insects. 



The form of the body, of the antennae, and of the veins of the 

 wings, in this subfamily, is very variable ; the prfebrachial vein is 

 abbreviated in a few species, but in all the rest it forms a flexure, 

 as in the three following subfamilies. With a few exceptions the 

 individuals are scarce and the species numerous, but the reverse 

 of this rule is more characteristic of the Mitscides. Their highly- 

 developed structure and their rapid flight at once distinguish them 

 from all the following groups. They may be divided into the fol- 

 lowing genera : — 



a. Abdomen depressed. Phasia. 

 a a. Abdomen not depressed. 



b. Abdomen arched, recurved beneath at the tip. 



c. Praibrachial vein joining the cubital before its tip. Ocyptera. 

 c c. Prajbrachicil vein joining llie costal. Piiania. 

 b b. Abdomen not arched nor recurved. 



