* Platyptera Meig, Lat. 

 Antennae with the 5th joint short {fig. 3 a, female). 

 1. borealis Linn. — Curt. Brit. Ent. pi. 18, ? . 



Male slate-black, pilose ; thorax with 4 black stripes ; abdomen shining ; wings 

 lanceolate, ciliated, pale brown, transparent in the centre, slightly ferruginous 

 at the costa, with a brown spot toward the apex ; halteres yellow ; legs black, 

 thighs and posterior tibae ferruginous. Female with the stripes on the thorax 

 very distinct : wings ample, broad, obtuse, narrowed towards the base (fig. 9), 

 yellow-brown, brightest at the costa and base. 



This curious insect, which has not hitherto been found in Great 

 Britain, has been discovered in Ireland by James Tardy, Esq. of 

 Dublin, who transmitted specimens with the following observations 

 on the subject. " I took this insect two succeeding years (1822 

 and 1823) early in the month of May along the margin of Lough- 

 bray, a small lake in the county of Wicklow, close to which the 

 military road passes. I have not been able to ascertain the eleva- 

 tion above the level of the sea of this lake ; but I think I do not err 

 much in saying that it may be about 1200 feet. The rocks sur- 

 rounding it are primary (granite), and the surface is entirely a black 

 peat in many places several feet in depth ; the plants almost exclu- 

 sively prevailing are our Common Heath {Erica vulgaris), Vacci- 

 nium Myriillus, and a variety of Mosses occurring in such situations ; 

 there are also a few stunted Willows, Mountain Ash, and Birch. 

 I have seen few places of the same elevation so perfectly alpine : at 

 the period of my visits the insect occurred in great numbers, almost 

 like some of the Ephemerida." 



Linnaeus finding this species in Lapland gave it the specific name 

 of borealis : it has since been taken in Bavaria and near Aix-la- 

 Chapelle, upon the flowers of the Willow : Fabricius says that in 

 Sweden it is seen in clear and serene evenings dancing in the air. 

 ** Empis. Antennae with the 5th joint elongated (fig. 3.). 

 2 tessellata i^a6.— livida Fah.—Coq. pi. 20. f. 12. 



Black, thorax cinereous with 3 black stripes ; abdomen of female silky yellow ; 



wings fuscous, base and halteres pale ferruginous, and frequently the tips of 



thighs, tibiffi and base of tarsi. Length 5 lines. 

 May and June, hedges common. 



3. opaca/ai. — Meig. tab. 22. f. 17. 



Black, thorax cinereous with 4 black stripes ; wings yellow-fuscous ; halteres 

 ochreous : legs feiTuginous, knees and tarsi black : 4 lines. 

 Middle of April in a shady lane, Waterford, Mr. Davis. 



4. sulcipes? Meig. v. 3. p. 19. w. 4.— 24. fulvipes Guide. 



Male black hairy ; eyes red ; thorax grisly, with 3 indistinct dark stripes ; 

 ■wings yellow-fuscous, yellow at the base ; stigma fuscous; halteres ochreous ; 

 legs ochreous brown ; tarsi, except at the base, black : 2^ lines. 



A male was given to me as the fulvipes of HofF. 



5. livida Li7in. — DeGeer G.tab. 14./. 14. 



Ochreous, head and thorax cinereous, the latter with 3 black stripes ; tarsi 

 black ; wings fuscous, transparent in the female, and the abdomen greyish. 

 (?3+, 5 4 lines. 

 End of June, flowers of Dandelion (pi. 248), and in abundance 

 on Oaks feeding on Tortrix virida7ia. 



