1^4 Ortlionhapha biachycera. 



This species cannot be confounded with any one of Ihe following 

 species, on account ol' its green or yeliowish ground colour. the 

 foilowing all beiiig black. It varies in being either green or greenish 

 yellow; in the latter as a rule the black spots on the abdomen are 

 separated, but they may also be connected in these specimens. 

 The yeliowish variety seems to be most coinnion among the feniales, 

 at all events I have only seen feniales of this variety. All the specimens 

 I have seen living or in a fresh state had greenish eyes with a brownish 

 red band; Low says. (Isis 1S4U, 556) about the eyes: „. . . griin mit 

 goldspielendem Wechselfleck." Macquart, (Suit. a Buffon, 1.250) says: 

 ,Jeux å ligne transversale pourpre." Whether the eyes may vary in 

 coiouring. or Low may iiave made sonie mistake. I cannot say. but I 

 think the latter the most probable. 



This species has generally been recorded as founded by Fabricius 

 in 1781, as there seems still to exist some doubt with regard to 

 Linne's .Umsc« hypoleon, which. as Low has stated, is probabiy the 

 yellow variety. But the species was for the first time established 

 by Briinniche (Prodr. hisectol. Siælland. 1761, 21), 19), from Denmark, and 

 the description leaves no doubt, but the species was not named. In 

 Pontoppidan, Danske Atlas, L 1763.696, Tab. XXX, Fig. a. b, it is again 

 enumerated and figured, and liere it is given the name græca (on 

 account of the black abdoniinal markings somewhat resembling the 

 greek letter H), but liere tliere is no description. Under these circum- 

 stances I think it most correct to keep the name of Fabricius. 



O. trilineata is the most common of our Oxycera species, though 

 it is generally only caught in single specimens; it occurs in low herbage 

 near water; vicinity of Copenhagen. Damhusmosen, Vesterfælled, Hellerup, 

 Ordrup Mose, Ernielund, Ruderhegn, Donse, Hillerød and at Køge; on 

 Lolland at JNørresø near Maribo; on Funen at Odense and in Jutland 

 in Vejle Nørreskov. It has been taken from '^c; — ";s. The larva 

 was taken at Køge in mud in the middle of June. it developed the '/t. 



Geographical distribution: — All Europe from middle Scandinavia 

 to Sicily; it seems everywhere to be one of the most common species. 



-*. O. Meigenii Stæg. 



IS44. Stæg. Slet. Ent. Zeit. V, 110, 2. — 1849. Zelt. Dipt. Scand. 

 VUl, 2957, 1-2. - 1802. Schin. F. A. I, 12. - 1903. Kat. paliiarkt. Dipt. 

 11, 13. — 1781. Stratiomijs h,/poleon, Fabr. Spec. Ins. II, 418, 20.— 1842. 

 Oxycera hypoleoii p. p. Zett. Dipt. Scand. 1, 142, 1. — 1844. Oxycera 

 lujpoleon, Schiødte, Nat. Tidsskr. 2, I, 40. 



Male. Eyes ralher long haired ; the facets in somewhat more than 

 the upper half somewhat larger than below; tlie eyes with a reddish 



