ORTALIDSE — INTRODUCTION. 25 



out. There cannot be any doubt, therefore, that the genus really 

 belongs to the Ortalidse. 



Richardia, in the Dipteres Exotiques, is with good reason en- 

 tirely separated from Herina, with which it was united in the 

 Suites a Buff on. 



Senopterina (I have already corrected the name to Stenopte- 

 rina) has been placed here where it really belongs, among the 

 Ortalidse. 



Herina is a mixture of heterogeneous forms, w r hich must be 

 generically kept apart. 



Epidesma is probably synonymous with Rivellia R. Desv. ; 

 moreover, Macquart has placed species of the latter genus under 

 the head of Herina, of Urophora, and even of Ceroxys. 



Geroxys is a rather well founded genus, established at the 

 expense of Ortalis Meig. But in the Dipteres Exotiques Mac- 

 quart adds species to it which do not at all share its characters ; 

 for instance Ceroxys ccerulea, etc. It almost seems, in such in- 

 stances, that he mistakes this genus for another. 



The genus Ortalis is a mixture of heterogeneous species ; 

 how is it possible to crowd together in one and the same genus 

 such species as Ortalis ornata Meig., fasciata Fab., connexa 

 Fab., frondescentise Lin., vibrans Lin., and even the Ortalis 

 dentipes Macq., said to be provided with spurs on the hind 

 tibiae ? Either Macquart has not known these species or he has 

 not closely examined them, otherwise he could not possibly have 

 committed such a mistake ; how very confused his ideas about 

 the systematic position of these species was, appears from the 

 fact that he described Scatophaga fasciata Fab. as an Ortalis, 

 and for a second time as Tephritis and that Dictya connexa Fab. 

 even appears three times in his writings, as Cordylura, as Ortalis, 

 and as Tep)hrilis! {Dipt. Exot., Suppl. iv., p. 292, Tephritis 

 dorsalis.) 



The true characters of Amethysa are not to be gathered from 

 Macquart's definition of this genus. As the name alludes to the 

 color of the African species, upon which the genus is estab- 

 lished, it should be improved to Amethysta. 



Lamprogaster is a well founded genus ; but the species be- 

 longing to it show considerable differences in their organization 

 which would fully justify a subdivision in several genera. It be- 

 longs in the vicinity of Platystoma. 



