1896. 



87 



NEW AND RARE BRITISH DIPTERA. 

 BY RALPH C. BRADLEY. 



. PoGONOTA HiRcus, Zett. (iiew to Britain). 



AVhilst sweeping rushes at Blackroot Pool, Sutton Park, on June 

 6th, 1895, 1 found an example of this remarkable insect {Cordylurinoe) 

 in my net. On reachiiio; home and finding what a prize it was, I deter- 

 mined, if possible, to get more, and paid five visits to the same spot, and 

 succeeded in taking about thirty specimens. The $ is an ordinary- 

 looking insect, but the ^ has a long thick wisp of hair proceeding from 

 the genitalia and curling up each side of the abdomen, giving it a most 

 curious appearance. A similar wisp of hair is present beneath each 

 cheek. 



The wing has three cross veins between the second and third long 

 veins, making four cells ; that of the ? only one cross vein. 



Little appears known about this insect on the continent, Schiner 

 giving North Sweden and Lapland as its habitat. 



DlCRANOMYIA STIGMATICA, Mg. 

 One $ taken at Wyre Forest, August 10th, 1894. This species, although in the 

 British list, and one which Walker, in his " Insecta Britannica," sajs is not rare, 

 seems imperfectly known, and does not appear to have been met with of late years. 

 Mr. Verrall, who has had two or three different species sent him closely allied to 

 this, considers my specimen to be true stigniatica. 



DlCRANOMYIA OENATA, Mg. 

 I was fortunate enough to capture thirteen specimens of this handsome species 

 at Wyre Forest, on June 2.5th, 1894. This is placed in the reputed section of the 

 British list, but Mr. Verrall informs me he has seen another British example. 



Eeioptera pentaqonalts, Lw. 

 One specimen from Cannock Chase, June 6th, 1895, and four from Sutton Park, 

 June, 1893-4, represent this rare species. Mr. Verrall has one taken by himself 

 many years ago. 



Sutton Coldfield : March, 1896. 



Melanism in British Geometridee. — I propose in the following notes to supple- 

 ment Mr. Barrett's remarks (Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. xxxi, pp. 198-205) on this subject. 



Mr. Barrett first deals with Tephrosia crepuscularia, and its var. hiundularia. 

 This insect generally emerges on Cannock Chase about the beginning of May. The 

 white, banded form is seldom found, I have taken it twice only; the dark form, 

 ranging from brownish-grey to almost black, is suiEciently common, and the few 

 specimens I have now by me all show a distinct white siibterminal line. My first 

 record of its capture is in 1883. I have beaten the larva from birch only, but un- 

 fortunately I did not know it until the imago emerged. There are certainly not 



