400 



TABANID^ 



Fig. 236. — Tahanus siideticus, 

 var. pcrplexiis $ . x 14. 



glaucous hue and the grey stripes quite as conspicuous as in T. bovinus. 

 Frontal calli (fig. 236) more like those of T. bovinus than of T. sudeticus. 



I have seen twenty-five specimens of this form which were taken by 

 Colonel Yerbury in Ireland in 1901 in various localities in Kerry, from 



June 30 to August 16, and it was then so common 

 that he had eighteen specimens in his cyanide 

 bottle at one time on July 7 near Killowen 

 Church ; he also took a similar female in Woolmer 

 Forest on July 12, 1903, and I possess one which 

 was taken in the New Forest by Mr E. A. 

 Waterhouse in July 1882. Brauer records the 

 occurrence of a number of similar specimens 

 from Upper Styria and Upper Austria, so that 

 it appears to have a wide range. The form is 

 remarkably intermediate between T. bovinus and 

 T. sudeticus but in general appearance is nearest 

 T. sudeticus, while Brauer states that his speci- 

 mens had in hfe the dark eyes of that species. 



This species is the largest British fly, as far as 

 balk is concerned, and is only approached by its 

 close ally T. bovinus, from which its less tawny 

 coloration in both sexes and the enlarged facets 

 on the front part of the eyes in the male dis- 

 tinguish it, but as may be seen from my descrip- 

 tions it is difficult to distinguish dark females of 

 T. bovinus, from light-colored specimens of T. sudeticus ; perhaps the bulk 

 and the more conspicuously contrasted hindmargins of the abdominal 

 segments in T. svAeticus give the readiest characters for distinction. 

 Two more European species, T. spodoptcrus (with quite black antennte) 

 and T. intermedins are also very closely allied, but have not been recorded 

 nearer than from Germany {T. spodopterus) and South France (T. inter- 

 medius). 



T. sudeticus is apparently not uncommon in Scotland as I have records 

 from Nethy Bridge, Aviemore, Carn Ban, Nairn, Brodie, Solway Dis- 

 trict, Argyllshire, and Aberfoyle, while in England I have seen 

 specimens from Cumberland (Derwentwater), and Gloucestershire 

 (Forest of Dean), and I am almost certain that it occurs in the 

 New Forest in company with T. bovinus; Austen gives such localities 

 as Budshead Wood and Walkham Valley in South Devon, and I have 

 records from Shropshire (Wyre Forest) and Essex, while I have seen 

 a Welsh male from Merioneth (Barmouth). The var. perplexus occurs 

 in numerous Irish and other localities as mentioned above. My dates for 

 normal T. sudeticus extend from July 5 (6) and 16 (?) to August 18 so 

 that Brauer's statement that it is a later insect than T. bovinus seems to 

 hold good in Britain ; the var. perplexus is recorded from June 30 to 

 August 16. T. sudeticu,s was first recognised as a British species by 

 myself from a specimen given me by the late H. T. Stainton, and upon 

 my pointing out its distinctness in the old Entomological Club collection 

 to the late Edward Newman he at once recorded it as new to Britain in 

 the Entomologist for February 1869, but he reversed the species both in 

 his record and in the collection as he stated that T. sudeticus might be 



