252 Orthorrhapha brachycera. 



6. Lower branch of the postical vein present .... 22. Tachypeza. 



— Lower branch of the postical vehi absent 23. Tackista. 



7. Eyes touching in both sexes; upper margin of 



the third antennal joint straight 26. Symballophthalnius. 



— Eyes separated in both sexes ; third antennal joint 



ovate or conical, its upper margin not straight. 27. Tachydromia. 



20. I>rapetis Meig. 



Very small, dark coloured species of a somevvhat thick-set shape. 

 Head a little narrower than thorax, somewhat short, higher than 

 broad. Occiput slightly arched, with a pair of bristles above, and 

 sometimes with smaller hairs. Eyes high; they are separated above 

 in both sexes, but reaching near to each other just above the antennæ, 

 and the frons is thus triangular; below the antennæ the eyes are 

 touching or almost touching in both sexes; the hind margin is sinuous 

 or has a round incision. The facets are of equal size, The incision in 

 the inner eye-margin somewhat large. The eyes are microscopically 

 hairy. The vertex has a tubercle with three ocelli and two or four 

 bristles. The antennæ are inserted near to each other, a little above 

 the middle ; they are five-jointed ; the first joint is short, the second 

 a little longer, the third is pointed ovate or conical, and compressed, 

 it bears at the apex a long, straight, two-jointed arista, the first joint 

 of which is exceedingly short, ring-like; the arista is directed some- 

 vvhat downwards. The second basal joint of the antennæ has a 

 shorter or longer bristle below. Epistoma is very narrow, when the 

 eyes are touching only consisting of a low, triangular part. Jowls are 

 present, but small, descending slightly below the eyes. Proboscis is 

 short, directed downwards and backwards and curved a little inw^ards 

 at the apex. Labrum is as long as labium, very high at its insertion, 

 semitubular, and curved downwards with the apex; it is three-pointed, 

 but the median lobe is much shorter than the lateral; on the inside 

 of the labrum there is at each edge, about in the middle, a pavement 

 of small tubercles, and the lateral lobes have a spine near the apex 

 and one a little more backwards; hypopharynx is of the same length 

 as labrum, likewise semitubular, strongly chitinised and black in the 

 apical part; the apex is curved downwards with an angular bend. I 

 could detect no maxillæ, but there are one-jointed, ovate maxiFlary palpi. 

 Labium has somewhat large labella with strong bristles. Thorax is 

 short, quadrangular or almost roundish, slightly arched above; pro- 

 and metathorax small. The disc has a uniform fine pubescence and 

 various bristles which are present on the whole disc, forming in- 

 distinct dorsocentral and acrostichal rows, or there are only a few 



