1895.] 113 



RARE BRITISH DIPTERA IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL 

 HISTORY), SOUTH KENSINGTON. 



BT THE REV. E. N. BLOOMFIELD, M.A , F.E.S. 



Within the last three or four years a beginning has been made in 

 forming a fresh representative collection of British Diptern. 



Stephens' cabinets being left untouched, the basis of this new 

 arrangement consists of a large number of specimens which have 

 recently been collected and presented through the kindness of several 

 entomologists, among whom may be specially mentioned Colonel 

 Terbury, who has collected for the Museum in the New Forest, South 

 Devon, &c., while rare species have been contributed by several other 

 collectors ; these have been supplemented by a collection made by the 

 late Mr. Clifton. It may therefore prove of interest to mention a few 

 of the rarer species. 



I will confine my remarks in great measure to the Syrpliidcs, and 

 even of these mention in detail but a few of the more rare and 

 conspicuous species. I give them in the order of Mr. Yerrall's list. 



Melanostoma hyaJinatum, Fin. — This is a much larger insect than 

 any other British species ; the body is broad instead of linear as in 

 the small species of this genus. 



Didea fasciata, Mg., and D. intermedia, Lw. — Specimens of both 

 these rare insects are in the Museum, the first species from South 

 Devon, the second from the New Forest and Mr. Clifton's collection, 

 A third British species, D. ahieti?, Fin., has just been added to the 

 collection ; it was taken at Colchester in 1893. This species, in which 

 the median band alone is uninterrupted, has been taken both at Wyre 

 Forest and Sutton by Mr. E. C. Bradley (ante p. 51). It is doubtful if 

 all these three forms are distinct species. 



Syrphus tricinctus, Fin. — This handsome species is rare, but there 

 are a number of nice specimens, most of which were taken last year 

 by Colonel Terbury in the New Forest. It is a very distinct looking 

 Syrphus. S. eucliromus, Kow. — This has a narrow^er abdomen, with 

 three broad divided yellow bands, of which the second and third are 

 broader than the first and resemble oblong spots, thus giving the fly an 

 app(\irance very distinct from any other species of Syrphus ; the 

 fourth band is narrow. This species has been taken in S. Devon, the 

 New Forest, Feldon in Herts, and also near Colchester. It is 

 probably the S. decorus, Mg., of Verrall's list. 



JPelecocera tricincta, Mg. — This, one of the smallest of the Syr- 

 phidcB, is about the size of Melanostoma ambiymim. Fin. In general 



