Sphaerophoria. 349 



1 . Scutellum mainly black-haired 2. 



— Scutellum quite or mainly yellow-haired taeniata. 



2. All or some of the abdominal bands entire 3. 



— Abdominal bands all interrupted 4. 



3. Abdominal bands all entire dubia. 



— First abdominal band interrupted , menthastri. 



4. Legs black at base (cT) P«c^a- 



— Legs all yellow (c?) philanthus. 



The larva and pupa were described above under the genus. 



This species is known from scripta by its smaller sixe, by the 

 shorter abdomen which is not or almost not longer than the wings, 

 and by the hind femora which in the male have no short and stubby 

 bristles and in both sexes no bare space at the base, but the hairs 

 all equal and evenly distributed ; further it has generally a black- 

 haired scutellum with the hairs stronger, and the front tibiæ more 

 black-haired. The shape of the hypopygium and its appendages gives 

 a certain distinction for the males, as seen from the descriptions and 

 figures. 



S. menthastri is like the preceding species common in Denmark 

 all over the country, and it occurs in the same way. My dates ara 

 ir'/5_8/9. The varieties are about equally common. I have taken it 

 in copula on ^Ve and ^/s. The larva was taken in flood refuse, chiefly 

 of Phragmites, on Vesterfælled on ^U, it developed on '^Vs (the author); 

 further is was taken in flood refuse at Randers in spring, developing 

 in May (Schlick). 



Geographical distribution: — All Europe, towards the north to 

 northern Sweden, in Finland and in Siberia; further on the Ganaries, 

 and it is also recorded from Japan, and from North America. 



Remarks: Scaeva interrupta Fabr., which has hitherto never been 

 interpreted, is, according to the type in the coliection of Tønder Lund, 

 a female of S. menthastri. 



3. S. flavicauda Zett. 



1843. Zett. Dipt. Scand. II, 771, 6 et 1849. VIII, 3161, 6. - 1901. 

 Verr. Brit. FL Vlfl, 441, 3, figs. 315-317. — 1907. Kat. palåarkt. Dipt. III, 73. 



var. nitidicollis Zett. 1849. Dipt. Scand. VIII, 3163, 8—9 et 1859. 

 XIII, 6009, 8—9. - 1862. Schin. F. A. I, 318 (Melithreptus). 



Male. Vertex æneous, somewhat large, triangular, a little elong- 

 ated ; frons and epistoma yellow, shining, the central knob brown and 

 the mouth edge narrowly black or brown. Jowls blackish grey. Vertex 

 with black hairs anteriorly, pale hairs behind; frons and epistoma 

 pale-haired, on the latter the hairs inconspicuous. Occiput grey pruinose. 



