43 



Therioplectes solstitialis, Schin., Brauer (? Mg). 



Plate 17. 



In this species, which is the most brightly coloured of the larger 

 British Tabanida?, the two sexes are alike in coloration, though the 

 black median dorsal stripe on the abdomen is usually narrower and 

 more distinctl_\- defined in the male. Of eight British males in the 

 Museum collection the smallest is 14I, the largest 16^ mm. in length, 

 while twenty females vary in length from 14^ to 17 mm. The eyes 

 of the male according to Brauer (/^^. cit., p. 150), are "dark green, 

 with a strong purple sheen above, with two purple bands on the 

 lower third, and with the rudiment of a similar band on the edge 

 of the larger facets " ; those of the female are described as " bright 

 green, with a coppery sheen, or bluish green, with three narrow- 

 purple bands, which often have a )'eIlow edging." 



The dates of capture of the Museum series of TIi. solstitialis range 

 from June 13th to July 22nd inclusive. The localities are, in Scotland : 

 Nethy Bridge and Aviemore, Inverness-shire ; Nairn ; Brodie, Elgin ; 

 and Rannoch, Perthshire {Lieut.-Colonel Yerbtny) ; Taynuilt, Argyll- 

 shire {A. Beaumont) ; and Goatfell, Arran {Sir G. F. Hatiipson, Bt.). 

 In Wales : Barmouth, Merionethshire {Lieut.-Colonel Yerbuiy). And 

 in England : Tarrington, Herefordshire ; Lyndhurst, New Forest, 

 and Ringwood, Hants {Lieut.-Colonel Ycrbiiiy)-. Beaulieu, Hants 

 {Miss Gertrude Ricardo) ; Avon and VValkham Valleys, S. Devon 

 {Lieut.-Colonel Yerbuiy); and near Bude, Cornwall (.5. G. Rye). In 

 the Museum general collection there are specimens from Norway, 

 and the localities given by Brauer show that the species occurs south- 

 wards as far as Hungary and the Tjrol, and eastwards on the Amur 

 river in Russian Asia. 



Colonel Yerbury writes that in Great Britain Th. solstitialis is 

 " very common and general!}' distributed. The males are frequently 

 seen hovering over roads through woods, and the habit seems to be 

 confined to this species. Although not painful, the bite of the 

 female is very severe, and draws blood more often than that of any 

 other species." 



