i-^i'S. 1 12 



Muscida, and either with or without discal setae ; wings with the fourth 

 longitudinal vein angularly bent, and without cubital appendix ; legs 

 with the hind tibiae either evenly or irregularly ciliated on their outer 

 sides. 



This genus is closely allied to Tachina ; the genera chiefly differ 

 by the comparative lengths of the second and third joints of the 

 antennae, in Tachina the second being longer, and the third shorter, 

 than those in .Vasicera. The wings also mostly have a cubital appen- 

 dix in Tachina, and not in Masicera ; and, lastly, the abdomen is 

 usually wider and more oval in the latter than in the former genus. 



1 (4) Hind tibite with an even row of short bristles on their outer sides {Ble- 



pharipa, Rnd.). 



2 (3) Palpi yellow 1. major, M.c(\. 



3 (2) Palpi black 2. atropivorajDax. 



4 (1) Hind tibise armed with bristles of unequal lengths. 



5 (8) Middle abdominal segments without discal setse {Masicera, End.). 



6 (7) Arista thickened for four-fifths of its length 3. si/ Ivatica, Fhi. 



7 (6) Arista only thickened for about one-third of its length... 



4. pratensis, Mgn. 



8 (5) Middle abdominal segments with both discal and marginal setse (Ceromasia, 



End.). 



9 (16) Tibiffi black. 



10 (13) Arista thickened nearly to the end. 



11 (12) Thoracic stripes of unequal widths, and apical cross veins curved... 



5. myoidcea, Dsv. 



12 (11) Thoracic stripes of equal widths, and apical cross veins straight... 



6. juvenilis, Rnd. 



13 (10) Arista only thickened along the basal third. 



14 (15) Abdomen grey and immaculate 7. egens,'Etgg. 



15 (14) Abdomen spotted 8. parva, Mcq. 



16 (9) Tibiseyellow 9. rutila,Mgxi. 



M. MAJOR, Mcq. 

 Rusty-black ; frontalia of male occupying about one-fourth of the width of the 

 head ; frontal stripe reddish-brown, rather wider than sides of frontalia ; face yel- 

 lowish-white, with dark reflections ; facial setse extending nearly half way up the 

 fascialia ; antennae with the first and second joints ferruginous, the third blackish- 

 grey, and three times as long as the second ; arista tapering gradually, thickened 

 for about half its length ; palpi yellow ; thorax with four narrow and rather indis- 

 tinct stripes, and four outer dorso-central bristles behind the groove ; scutellum 

 testaceous, and rather translucent ; abdomen wide and oval, red on the sides in the 

 male ; tessellated with black and white patches, and having narrow white rings on 

 the front margins of the second and third segments ; discal seta? wanting ; wings 

 yellowish-grey, apical cross veins curved, outer cross ones placed obliquely, and 

 nearly straight ; legs black, hind tibiee ciliated along their outer sides with an even 

 thick row of rather short bristles. This fine species is in Mr. Dale's collection ; it 

 was taken at Bristol. 



