SYNOPSIS OF NORTH AMERICAN SYRPHID.E. 63 



bj Eondani as belongiug to Lasiophticus, inclucliDg the so called topi- 

 arms M. (my S. towns), glaiicius F., pyrastri Liu., etc. In other words, 

 all the European Syrphus (in the restricted seise of Schiuer) that have 

 pubescent eyes are Lasiophticus Bond, (see Schiuer, i, 301). 



" Now I have shown in my paper on Syrphus (Proc. Bost. Soc, N. 

 H.), and, before me, Mr. Malm has done the same, that the pubescence 

 or non-pubescence of the eyes in Syrphus is a character of altogether 

 subordinate value; I mean to say that if we introduce a subdivision 

 on the basis of this character, most evidently allied species, perhaps 

 merely seasonal varieties, like S. ribesii and S. torvus, are torn asunder, 

 and dissimilar forms like pyrastri and glaucius thrown together. In my 

 opinion, therefore, the genus Lasiophticus must be given up. 



" The question whether Catabomba is to be maintained or not has 

 nothing to do with that of the validity of Lasiophticus. Catabomba was 

 introduced by me on the ground of the peculiar structure of the facets 

 of the eyes in the male, of front in both sexes, and of the male genitals. 8. 

 pyrastri, S. seleniticus, and probably also S. gemellarii Rond. [8. melan- 

 ostoma (Macq.) v. d. Wulp, also] partake of these characters. The eyes 

 of these species are all pubescent, so far as I know ; but then a Cata- 

 bomba with glabrous eyes may be discovered and will be nevertheless 

 a Catabomba ; it could not be a Lasiophticus Rond. 



" I believe, therefore, it would be expedient at present to retain the 

 genus Syrphus in the sense of Schiner, and to dro}) Lasiophticus. It 

 seems to me that we render Syrphus in this restricted sense more hom- 

 ogeneous if we separate Catabomba from it, just as Schiner separated 

 Leucozona and other small genera. General habit and coloring of Cat- 

 abomba, as well as its remarkable geographical distribution, confirm 

 me in the belief that the species are subject to some peculiar law, and 

 that it is only right to isolate them in our systematic arrangement." 



It is true that Rcndani used 8. pyrastri as one of the typical species 

 of his genus, and also pointed out one of its special characters — the 

 tumid front in the male, in his tabular arrangement of the species (Prod, 

 ii, 138); but for all that his genus can not and never would* be accepted, 

 except by the use of characters pointed out by Osten Sacken in his 

 definition of Catabomba. It perhaps might have been better had Baron 

 Osten Sacken used the name Lasiophticus instead of Catabomba ; the 

 name, however, in itself might become strongly objectionable. Cer- 

 tainly the pilosity of the eyes is not a generic character. 



Catabomba pyrastri. (Plate IV, figs. 1, la.) 



Musca pyrastri Linn^, Fauua Suec, 1817 ; Scopoli, Entom. Carn., 931 ; Schrank, 



Enum. lus. Austr., 447, 907. 

 Mttsca rosw Degeer, Ins. vi, 6 ; pi. vi, figs. 14-21. 

 Syrphus pyrastri Fabricins, Spec. Ins. ii, 432, 58; Entom. Sy8t.,iv, 305, 102; Mei- 



geu, Syst. Bescbr., iii, 303, 44 ; Macquart, Hist. Nat. Dipt., i, 536, 3 ; Schiner, 



Verb. Z. B. Ges. vii, 338 ; Fauna Austr., i, 301. 

 Syrphus HwicoZor Curtis, Brit. Eut., 509, var. 

 Syrphus transfugus Fabricius, Entom. Syst., iv, 306, 104. 



