GO [Muich, 



base of tlie wing to the middle coxa ; in the single $ before me the incisions 

 between the various pleural plates in the region indicated are alone ferruginous, so 

 that the pleurae are almost entirely shining black ; legs in $ as in typical form ; in 

 the $ the front femora are dark brown on the upper side, while the posterior femora 

 at the base and above are also somewhat infuscated ; all other characters (wings, 

 antennae, &c.) as in the typical form. 



Types of the variety, a ^ from Kingussie, Inverness-shire, taken 

 July 20th, 1898, and a ? from Nethy Bridge, in the same county, 

 captured August 6th, 1898 {Lieut. -Col. Yerlurt/-~Ty\)es in British 

 Museum). 



Besides the pair of specimens which I have selected as the types, 

 Col. Yerbury took three other males— two at Kingussie on July 20th, 

 and one at Nethy Bridge on August 13th. The three examples obtained 

 at Kingussie were swept from rough grass and sedge on the margin of 

 Loch Gynak. 



One of the males taken at Kingussie differs from the typical form of the variety 

 in having much darker legs, the femora above (except at the extreme tips), and the 

 basal third beneath, as also the posterior tibiae, except the base, being blackish- 

 brown ; in the case of the middle femora the infuscation is less intense, and is 

 interrupted across the middle; the posterior tarsi are black, as usual. The ^ taken 

 at Nethy Bridge, on August 13th, shows a faint trace of reddish colour on the 

 posterior margin of the thorax. 



A noteworthy fact, and an additional proof that we are dealing with a variety, 

 and not with a distinct species, is that the small pale yellow fleck, which is seen on 

 the cheeks in the typical L. aristata, Pz., immediately adjoining and slightly in rear 

 of the lower margin of the eye, is also present in the var. Yerburyi. This fleck is 

 not found in any other British species of the genus ; in the case of L. alhiseta, 

 Schrk., and L. st/lvatica, Mg., the cheeks (and face also in the former species) are 

 wholly yellow, of a deeper tint, while i/./«(^y*yc»<;'w, Mg., which has the median 

 area of the cheeks deep yellow, is readily distinguishable by its small size, greatly 

 elongated antennae in the ^ , and other characters. 



I append a table (founded on Schiner) for the determination of 

 the British species of Loxocera. 



1. Face and at least the posterior margin of the cheeks black 2. 



Face and cheeks yellow, either entirely, or with a black median stripe on 



the former 3. 



2. Large species (^ usually not less than 8 mm. (3.75 lines) in length, ? — to 



extremity of ovipositor — considerably longer) ; abdomen wholly black ; 

 cheeks black, except a small pale yellow fleck adjoining the lower pos- 

 terior margin of the eye. 



of. Dorsum of thorax posteriorly and scutcUum wholly red... 



ari.itata, Pz. (syn. etongata, Mg. ; Schin.). 



/3. Dorsum of thorax and scutellum wholly black... 



var. Yerburyi, Austen. 



