425. 

 XYLOTA BIFASCIATA. 



Order Diptera. Fam. Syrphidce. 

 Type of the Genus, Musca segnis Linn. 

 Xylota Meig., Curt. — Syrphus Fab., Pane— Milesia Fab., Lat. — 

 Merodon, Scseva and Thereva Fab. — Eristalis Fall. — Musca 

 Linn. 



Jntennce approximating, attached to a tubercle in front of the 

 face (2), small porrected, nodding, 6 -jointed, basal joint sub- 

 quadrate, 2nd somewhat cup-shaped producing a few strong 

 bristles, longest beneath, 3rd large subovate, fleshy and pu- 

 bescent, 4th and 5th very minute, inserted near the base of the 

 3rd on the upper edge, 6th forming a long seta, slightly pu- 

 bescent towards the base (3). 



Labrum short, very robust and hollow, the apex notched (1 b). 

 Tongue not longer than the labrum, strong and acute (c). 

 MaxillcE short and slender (e). Palpi as long as the maxillae, to 

 which they are attached, slender and subclavate, producing long 

 hairs on the upper side (f ). 



Lip rather large, perfectly bilobed and slightly pubescent (g). 

 Head broad, semiglobose, with a tubercle in front of the face, and con- 

 cave below (2). Eyes large subovate, meeting before in the male, 

 slightly remote in the female (2*). Ocelli 3 in triangle. Thorax 

 oblong. Scutellum semicircular. Abdomen sublinear, obtuse in the 

 males, more conical in the females. Wings parallel and incumbent 

 in repose, very like those of Tropidia, discoidal transverse nervure 

 oblique. Hulteres capitate. Trochanters, posterior sometimes with 

 a long spine beneath in the male. Thighs ; posterior incrassated, 

 with numerous spines beneath. Tibiae ; posterior curved, the interior 

 margin sinuated. Tarsi as long as the tibicc, basal joint long, 4th 

 bilobed, 5th short obtrigonate. Pulvilli large. Claws simple (Sf, 

 hind leg of male). 



BiFASciATA Meig. 3. 219. \0.~Curt. Guide, Gen. 1230. 



Black, shining : face clothed with white pubescence ; 3rd joint 

 of antennae brown : eyes reddish brown. Thorax and scutellum 

 brassy with a spot of white pubescence at each shoulder, 1 st and 

 4th joints of abdomen brassy gray, 2nd and 3rd joints with in- 

 terrupted bright ochreous bands, forming 4 equal spots. Wings 

 pale fuscous. Halteres pale ferruginous. Tips of 4 anterior 

 thighs, and base of all the tibiae ochreous. Tarsi ochreous, pos- 

 terior piceous, tips of all black. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



The general appearance of some of the Xylotae is so like Tro- 

 pidia, that they may be easily confounded. Xylota is, how- 

 ever, distinguished by the posterior thighs of the males having 

 no tooth, but a series of spiny bristles beneath; the 3rd joint 

 of the antennae is rounded, not truncated obliquely ; tlie face 



