232 Syrphidae. 



2. M. mellinum L. 



1758. Linn. Syst. Nat. X, 594 et 1761. Fn. Suec. 1821 (Musca). — 

 1805. Fabr. Syst. Antl. 251, 12 (Scaeva). — 1822. Meig. Syst. Beschr. III, 

 331, 85 {Syrphus). — 1843. Zett. Dipt. Scand. II, 759, 62 et 1849. VIII, 

 3153, 62 et 1855. XII, 4661, 62 {Scaeva). — 1862. Schin. F. A. I, 292. 



— 1901. Verr. Brit. F). VIII, 309, 3, fig. 263. — 1907. Kat. palåarkt. Dipt. 

 III, 49. — Syrphus scalaris Panz. (nec Fabr.) 1797. Fn. Germ. XLV, 20. 



— 1822. Meig. 1. c. III, 330, 83. — Syrphus mellarius Meig. 1822. 1. c. 

 III, 328, 81 et 1838. VII, 131, 81. — Syrphus melliturgus Meig. 1822. 

 1. c. III, 329, 82. — Syrphus minutus Macq. 1827. Soc. Se. Lille, 234, 13. 



— 1838. Meig. I. c. Vil, 136, 10. — Syrphus unicolor Macq. 1827. 1. c. 

 236, 17. — 1838. Meig. 1. c. VII, 136, "il. — M. unicolor 1862. Schin. 

 F. A. I, 292. — Syrphus laevigatus Meig. 1838. 1. c. VII, 134, 105. — 

 M. laevigatum 1862. Schin. F. A. I, 292. 



Male. Head not broader than high; epistoma much narrower 

 than in ambiguum. Frons and epistoma blackish æneous, shining, 

 practically not pruinose except at the extreme eye-margin. Vertex 

 and frons with blackish or brown hairs ; epistoma with sparse, yellow 

 hau's; central knob slightly prominent. Occiput blackish, greyish yel- 

 low pruinose at the eye-margin, the hairs yellow, brown above. 

 Antennæ inserted in the middle of the head, blackish or brownish 

 black, third joint more or less yellow below at the basal part and 

 second generally yellow below; arista often yellow at the base, very 

 short-pubescent, almost microscopically. Thorax æneous, shining, with 

 short, yellow hairs, a little longer at the margin of scutellum ; in dark 

 specimens the hairs may be brownish to almost blackish. Pleura 

 yellow-haired. Abdomen not much narrower than thorax, about four 

 times as long as broad, dull black or brownish black, shining at apex, 

 with three pairs of not small, yellow spots; the first pair smallest, 

 subcircular or triangular, the second largest, elongate, the third quadrate ; 

 second and third pairs, especially second, with the inner margin 

 longer than the outer; the first pair lie behind the middle of the seg- 

 ment, the other at the front margin, and they are generally continuous 

 with the side margin; the spots may vary somewhat in size. Abdomen 

 is clothed with short hairs, longer at the sides, especially on the basal 

 part; they are yellow and black, mainly folio wing the ground colour 

 but yellow at the sides. Venter yellowisb or darker to almost quite 

 æneous, with pale hairs. Legs varying in colour, from almost quite 

 yellow with only the tarsi darker towards the end, to conslderably 

 blackish with the femora blackish with yellowish apex, tibiæ with 

 blackish rings, largest on hind tibiæ, and hind tarsi almost quite 

 blackisk. Legs haired as usual, the hairs behind anterior femora and 

 on anterior side of hind femora not long, they are yellowish, in dark 



