148 [June, 1911. 



*Chloroinsca ohscurella, Zett., is the darkest species of the genus, with 

 darkened legs, mouth edge, and scutellum, it is not uncommon, I have seen 

 specimens from Suffolk, Kent, Glamorgan, and Sutherland. 



*Chloropisca rufa, Mcq. — This does not appear to be a common species. 

 Mr. Verrall took a female on his stvidy window at Newmarket (Suffolk) in 

 August, 1896. Mr. F. Jenkinson, a male in his garden at Cambridge in July, 

 1903, and Col. Yerbvxry a male at Walton-on-Naze (Essex) in July, 1909. 



Camarota, Mg. — Becker has endeavoured to prove that this name must 

 sink as a synonym of Oscinis, Latr., but his reasoning is unsound, being based 

 upon an error. The name Oscinis was first published in 1804 (Nouv. Diet. 

 d'Histoire Nat., xxiv, p. 196), and 0. curvipe^mis, Latr. (= Camarota flavitarsis, 

 Mg.), was not described until 1805 (Hist. Nat. Crust. Ins., xiv, p. 382, wrongly 

 quoted by Becker as published in 180-i) ; certainly Lati'eille, in 1804, when de- 

 scribing Oscinis gave " nies mouches curvipennes " as belonging to the genus, but 

 he was not referring to the 0. curvipennis he described in the following year 

 but to his section " X. Mouches curvipennes " of 1802 (Hist. Nat. Crust. Ins., 

 III. p. 460). The species quoted by Latreille as belonging to his genus Oscinis 

 at the time of its formation were therefore, Musca lineata, F., Musca olese, ¥., 

 Musca coleoptrata. Scop., Musca planifrons, F., and Musca umbraculata, F. 



In 1805 (Hist. Nat. Crust. Ins., xiv, 382), he only gave lineata, F., and his 

 new species, curvipennis {^flavitarsis, Mg.), as belonging to the genus, tliough 

 he still doubtfully inclvided oleie, F., while we find M^lsca planifrons removed to 

 the genus Tetanocera. 



In 1809 (Gen. Criist. et Ins., iv, 351) the chief point to note is his inclusion 

 of his previously founded (1804) geniis Otites. 



In 1810 (Considerations Genor. p. 444.) he gave as types of the genvis Osci^iis : 

 Musca formosa (previously inclvided in his genus Otites), Oscinis lineata, F., and 

 Tcphritis strigula. 



Everything points to the fact that, whatever Latreille at different times 

 included in the genus Oscinis he ultimately meant it to apply to lineata and 

 its allies. This was recognised by Meigen and Macquart and the latter in 1835 

 (Hist. Nat. Dipt., II, 598) when restricting the name Oscinis to the species with 

 the costa extending to the end of the discal vein, wrote as follows : — " Le 

 " nom d'Oscine a ete donne primitivement par Latreille k un genre qvii 

 " comprenait non seulement les Chloi'ops et les Agromyzes de Meigen, mais 

 " encore les Otites, les Dacus et d'autres Muscides de diverses tribus. Cependant, 

 " dans la seconde edition du Regne Animal, notre grand entomologiste parait 

 " I'avoir limite aux premiers seulement. Nous croyons done devoir le conserver ; 

 " mais, comme celui de Chlorops appartient de droit au genre qiii retfemme les 

 " especes aux yeux verts, nous reservons I'autre a celui-ci." 



This action of Macqiiart's, thougli perhaps not in accordance with the views 

 of the present day, has been accepted by all students of Dipt era for 75 years' 

 including Loew who in 1858 (Wien. Ent. Monatschr. II, 72) wrote : — " Herr 

 " Macquart hat die erste Meigen, sche Abtheilung der Gattung Chlorops, Meig. 

 " von der zwiten generisch getrennt, ersterer den namen Chlorops gelassen, 

 " woran er ganz recht gethan, und auf die zweite den Namen Oscinis iibertragen, 



