SARCOPHAOID PLIES JOHNSTON AND TIKG3. 177 



4. Sarcojih(i(ji( aljilia Johnston and Tiegs. 



S. alpha Johnston and Tiegs, Proc. Roy. See. Queensland, xxxiii., 1921, 

 p. 57. 



One male, paratjpe, from Brisbane, Queensland. 



5. Sarcophaga beta Johnston and Tiegs. 



S. beta Johnston and Tiegs, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland, xxxiii., 1921, 

 p. 58. 



One female, paratype, from Brisbane, Queensland. 



6. Sarcophaga peregrina R.D. 



Myophora pereqrina Robineau-Desvoidy, Essai sur les Myodaires, 1830, 

 p. 356. 



Myophora suhrotunda R.D., I.e., p. 357. 



Myophora rapida R.D., I.e., p. 360. 



Sarcophaga tritonia Macquart, Dipt. Exot. Suppl., iv., 1850, p. 234, 



S. irrequieta Walker, List. Dipt. British Mus., 1849, iv., p. 830. 



8. ochripalpis Thomson, Eugenies Resa, Diptera, 1868, p. 537. 



S. frontalis Johnston and Bancroft, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland, xxxii., 



1920, p. 23. 



S. irrequieta Johnston and Tiegs, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland, xxxiii., 



1921, p. 63. 



This is by far the commonest sarcophagid fly in South Eastern 

 Queensland. Mr. A. P. Dodd informs us that it likewise predominates 

 in the Cairns district. North Queensland. The Australian Museum 

 specimens are chiefly from Sydney, but there are also a few from the Fly 

 River, New Gninea. 



It is but natural that the various entomologists who described our 

 Sarcophagids, from Robineau-Desvoidy onwards, should have come aci'oss 

 this insect, and as they gave little or no attention to each other's work, it 

 is not surprising that a considerable synonymy has arisen. Furthermore, 

 as the general body colour of the fly may vary considerably from pale 

 golden to pure silvery, the confusion has become still greater. However, 

 as this insect is easily recognised even without an examination of the male 

 copalatory organs, we have no hesitation in giving the above synonymy. 

 The differences on which the species referred to are founded are not 

 greater than the amount of variation often seen in the offspring of a 

 single parent, both in regard to size and colouration, while the sex 

 differences are well enough defined to account for any apparent discrep- 

 ancies in early descriptions. 



That S. tritonia Macquart, is synonymous with S. peregrina is almost 

 certain. The fly was described from Triton Bay, Dutch New Guinea, but 

 as the brief description in every way fits ;S'. peregrina, and since we have 



