1897.] 227 



means uncommon, and when further specuuens have been collected it may be found 

 that the present case is simply another instance of this peculiarity. Loew's abcn-ant 

 female referred to in the note translated above was somewhat larger than usual, but 

 the two males from Studland Heath are in no way abnormal in this respect ; they 

 ai'e slightly smaller than the average male of the common Chr. ccecutiens. 



I look forward with much interest to the capture of a British specimen of the 

 female Chr. sepulcralix ; our Old British Collection contains no trace of the species, 

 and, as it happens, the sole representative of it in our General Collection of Diptera 

 is a somewhat imperfect female from Germany, collected nearly forty years ago, and 

 without any nearer locality. In the wholly shining face and the shape of the 

 transverse band on the wing, this specimen agrees with the English males ; the base 

 of the wing, except the costal margin, is hyaline, as is the case in the females of our 

 other British species ; in the coloration of the hair this female appears to be 

 normal, the dorsum of the thorax, scutoUum, pleuroe, first and second segments of 

 the abdomen, and the posterior margins of the two following ones being sparsely 

 clothed with sliort golden-yellow hairs. The specimen is rather smaller than the 

 males from Studland Heath, measuring 8 mm. (3 J lines) in length. 



As to the distribution of Chr. sepiilcralis, Loew says that the 

 species is known to extend over Scandinavia (Zetterstedt gives a 

 number of localities), Eastern Russia, and the whole of Germany. 



I append a 



TABLE OP THE BRITISH SPECIES OF CRRYSOPS. 



1. Outer margin of dark transverse band across wing concave ; face (except imme- 



diately beneath base of antennae) wholly shining, facial and cheek-tubercles 

 confluent sepulcralis, F. 



Outer margin of transverse band across wing, at least anteriorly, convex ; face 

 not wholly shining ; facial and cheek-tubercles on each side separated by a 

 pollinose stripe 2. 



2. Middle tibiise black, in $ sometimes brownish at the base ccecutiens, L. 



Middle tibite brownish-yellow 3. 



3. Second abdominal segment witli a large median black blotch ((?), or small spot 



(^) qtiadratus, Mg. 



Second abdominal segment with a double black blotch, consisting of two back- 

 wardly directed triangles with their bases resting on the anterior margin, 

 where they are in contact ; in (J 3rd abdominal segment also (frequently the 

 4th as well) with a wider and less distinct double blotch relictus, Mg. 



Chrysops ccecutiens is, of course, the common species with us, and 

 may be met with everywhere in suitable localities ; Chr. relictus is less 

 common, and Chr. quudratus is apparently rare and local. The British 

 Museum possesses but a single male of Chr. quadratus, taken at Holne, 



