1909.] 275 



SETULIA GRISEA, Mg., A TACHINID NEW TO BRITAIN, AND 



ITS ALLIES. 



BY COLBRAN J. WAINWRIGHT, F.E.S. 



Mr. Hamm, who wished to publish an account of some observa- 

 tions he had made on the habits of this species, requested me to add 

 a short description of it ; which I was the more willino; to do, as I 

 felt a slight doubt as to the correct name for it, and thought it advisable 

 to make it clear what species is being referred to. 



Setulin grisea, Mg., is a very near ally of MiJtogramma puncta- 

 tuni, IMg., a well-known and common British species. They have 

 similar habits, both haunt Hymenoptera, and bear a strong general 

 resemblance, and might even be mixed in collections. There are two 

 other known British allies, Mlltogramma germari, Mg., and Sphecapata 

 conica, Fall., all haunting Hgmenoptera, and bearing an obvious family 

 likeness. Wherever one finds a sandy spot with the burrows of 

 Aculeates, there one will almost certainly find one or more of these 

 species, settled on the bare hot sand waiting for their hosts, or 

 following them to their burrows ; flying about with a feeble flight or 

 settled on the flowers of the ragwort near by ; but while M.panctatum 

 and 8. conica are common and have often been taken in such places, the 

 other two species are at present little known, though I anticipate 

 that they will prove to be c )mmoner than our experience to date has 

 led us to believe. Mr. Malloch recorded M. germari for the first time 

 in Ent. Mo. Mag., 1909, p. 105, the specimens having been taken by Mr. 

 Hamm, near Oxfoi'd : and I took one in the New Forest, near Lynd- 

 hurst, on August 5th last; and now Mr. Hamm recoixls 8. grisea, and 

 curiously I also took one near New Milton, Hants, on August 4th this 

 year about the same date as that on which his were taken. 



The four species may be roughly separated as follows: — 



A. Species with well developed setse on the facial angles, one pair of bristles being 



large and strong and crossed as in most Tachinidse. 



I. Black palpi and antennae conica, Fall. 



II. Yellow palpi and basal joint at least of antennae grisea, Meig. 



B. Species with the facial angles occupied by a few weak hair-like bristles, no one 



pair larger than the others. 



I. Basal antennal joints yellow, abdomen without spots germari, Mg. 



II. „ „ „ black, or at most with a little yellow between the 

 2nd and 3rd joints, abdomen distinctly spotted punctatum, Mg. 



