1S95.) 51 



only took four. Autumn sugaring did not improve, for there was an almost entire 

 absence of the usual autumn species, and the XanthicB failed altogether to put in an 

 appearance. — A. H. Hamxi, Uatherley Road, Reading : December, 1894. 



Rare Diptera captured in 1894. — -Although the season of 1894 was generally 

 considered a bad one for insects, I was fortunate enough to take several good species 

 of Diptera. 



A nice series of the curious fly Alophora hemiptera was taken in Matley Bog, 

 New Forest, in July. 



The Echinomyim were well represented, as I captured five out of the six British 

 species. E. tirsiiia, Mg., occurred in swarms at Wyre Forest in March, and in April 

 and May two specimens at Sutton Park. E.ferox, Pz., one from Wyre, August 5th. 

 E. lurida, F. (1), and grossa, L., at the Xew Forest ; the last named being fairly 

 common. 



Ckeilosia grossa and flavicornis, F., occurred together on the sallow blooms at 

 Wyre and Sutton, this being the first record of flavicornis from the Midlands. A 

 fine ? C. chrysocoma, Mg. (the third British record), fell to my lot at Selsley in 

 May, also one vulpina, Mg., and half a dozen specimens of Brachyopa bicolor. Fin., 

 from the same locality. One specimen of C. soror, Zett., was captured in my 

 garden. 



Orthoneura elegans, Mg., and nohilis, Fin. ; I met with these two species for 

 the first time in Sutton Park. 



A curious pale form of the common Platychirus peltatus, with tlie first pair of 

 spots large and square, occurred at Painswick. 



In spite of tlie almost sunless summer, some good Syrphi fell to my net. The 

 principal ones being triangulifer , Zett., from Selsley (new to the list) ; lineola, Zett., 

 five from Wyre ; vittiger, Zett., one from Sutton, this being the first time I have 

 taken these three species ; nitidicollis, Mg., common at Wyre, and one from Sutton. 

 Towards the end of August, I noticed some large Syrphi flying among pine trees 

 (no doubt searching for Aphides); they turned out to he pyrastri and se/eniiica, 

 and as I had not previously seen selenitica at Sutton, I worked hard for them. They 

 were very difiicult to capture, mostly keeping from ten to thirty feet from the ground ; 

 however, I succeeded in getting a nice series of ten. Both species were also captured 

 on palings in a semi-torpid state on October 14th, an exceptionally late date for 

 Syrphi. 



Didea aineti : I captured three specimens of this rarity, one at Sutton, the 

 yellow form, and two at Wyre, the bands being a lovely pale blue. 



In a field at Bournemouth I swept a (J of the pretty little Pelecocera tricincta, 

 Mg., and at the same place on the shore took a pair of Aetora cBsluum, Mg., on 

 jelly fish. 



Arctophda mussitans was met with for the first time at Sutton, and I have one 

 from Wyre, so we may now consider it a Midland insect. 



On hawthorn bloom, in June, at Wyre, I was decidedly lucky in capturing a 

 pair of Criorrhina asilica, Fin., and a <J Pocuia apiformis, Schrk., both for the 

 first time. 



Five out of the seven British species of Xylota were taken, segnis, sy/varum and 

 aliens at Sutton, tenia and florum (1) in July, at the New Forest, the last named 

 being new to me ; at the same time and place Dioctria Eeinhardi and flavipes 



