186 [August, 



Loc. Seychelles, Silliouette : near Mont Pot-a-eaii, ca. 1500 ft., viii. 

 1908, 1 $ . 



Loew described S. nit i da from a female taken in Caffraria by "VVahl- 

 berg. His description is too brief to enable one to recognise the species 

 with any degree of certainty, therefore it has been considered advisable 

 to give in some detail the characters of the Se^'chelles specimen. 



In addition to the species mentioned in Kertesz's " Katalog," 

 Meijere described in 1910 two species from Krakatau and Java, both of 

 which appear to differ from the Seychelles specimen, and a third species 

 in 1913 from Ceram the descrij^tion of which it has not been possible to 

 collate. 



2. Paraln/l)OS iridipennis Ivertesz. 



$ . Upper facets of eyes very conspicuously enlarged. Occiput dulled by 

 brownish dust except for a briglitly shining stripe from ocelli to neclc. Face 

 short and retreating. Antennae hardW more than transluceutly brownish. 

 Arista quite bare. Thorax remarkably arched, the vertical height in profile 

 from base of wing being equal to the length from prothorax to base of scutel- 

 lum. Tlie brownish tomentum very conspicuous in some lights, but when 

 thorax is viewed from above does not hide the somewhat shining black ground- 

 colour. Scutellum with about twelve brownish-black hairs round margin, of 

 which a ])air are rather longer and stronger. Abdomen broadest about middle, 

 conspicuously dusted brownish, the browuisli-black hairs rather long and con- 

 spicuous on first 2-3 segments, becoming shorter towards tip of abdomen. 

 Legs shining and pubescent, brownish-black (or translucently brownish) on 

 coxae, trochanters, and femora, and to a greater or less extent about middle of 

 tibiae. The tip of femora, the base and tip of tibiae (to greatest extent on 

 middle tibiae), the anterior tarsi (except last joint), and hind tarsi on middle 

 joints, yellow. Middle tibiae with a conspicuous antero-dorsal dark bristle at 

 rather less than basal third, and a long yellow apical bristle beneath, blind 

 femora slender, pubescent, with 3-4 widely spaced, more conspicuous, antero- 

 ventral bristly hairs. Hind tibiae antero-dorsally with a long dark bristle at 

 basal third and a shorter finer bristle just before tip, in addition to a long 

 yellow preapical bristle above. Wings faintly brownish and strongly iridescent. 

 Subcostal cell narrow, the elongate yellowish stigma occupyirg the whole of 

 end of cell. Discal cell much, longer than broad. Halteres wdth large dark 

 knobs and brownish -yellow stems. 



Length 2"5 to 3 mm. 



Loc. Seychelles, Silhouette : Mare anx Cochons plateau and forest 

 above, 1000-2000 ft., ix.l908, 2 $ . 



The identity of the Seychelles specimens with the type species of 

 Paraliyhos from New Guinea, described by Kertesz as iridipennis, may 

 be open to some doubt, but their small size, extraordinarily arched thorax 

 and extensively yellowish legs, makes it very probably correct. 



I 



