36 



The smallest specimen of this species in the Museum collection, 

 a female taken in the Avon Valley, S. Devon, by Lieut. -Colonel 

 Yerbury, on June 19th, 1896, measures 8 mm. in length; the largest 

 specimen, a male taken by the writer at Gravesend, Kent, on June 

 28th, 1894, is II mm. long, e.xceeding the largest British example of 

 //. pluvialis b}' 1 mm. The Museum series of H. crassiconiis is from 

 various localities between and including Glen Avon, S. Banff- 

 shire, N.B. {]['., R. Oi^ilvie Grant), and Avon Valley, S. Devon 

 {Lietit.-Colonel Yerbury) ; the dates of the.se specimens range from 

 May 24th (Avon Valle\-, S. Devon), to July 27th (Gravesend : E. E. 

 Austen). There are also Irish e.xamples from Glengariff, Co. Cork, 

 June I2th and 14th, 1901 [Lieut.-Colonel Ycrbttry) ; and Leenane, Co. 

 Gahva}-, July 14th, 1892 (E. E. Austen). It is impossible to say any- 

 thing as to the range of this species outside the British Islands, since 

 at present the Museum possesses no examples from abroad. 



With reference to this and the foregoing species Colonel Yerbury 

 writes : — " Though common in Scotland, these species are not such 

 pests there as in the south of England. As an instance of the numbers 

 in which they arc sometimes met with, the following extract from one 

 of the writer's old diaries maybe quoted: — " Loddiswell, S. Devon, 

 June 30th, 1896, Hccmatopota galore: killed forty-seven fl\'ing 

 round me." 



Haematopota italica, Mg. 



This species can at once be distinguished from either H. plitvialis 

 or crassiconiis b\- the pale femora and the greater length of the 

 antenna;. The largest of three females of H. italica in the old 

 Stevensian collection of British Diptera, which is unfortunately 

 entirely w ithout locality labels, exceeds in size any British specimens 

 of H. pluvialis or crassiconiis in the Museum series, and measures 

 12 mm. in length, cxclusi\e of the antenna;, which are 2k mm. long. 



In the British Islands, .so far as our present knowledge goes, 

 Hccmatopota italica would appear to be much more rare and local than 

 either of the other indigenous species of this genus. The only 

 modern British specimen in the Museum collection is a female, 10 mm. 



