SARGUS. 81 



Genus SARGUS, F. 



>Sari/as, Fabricius, Ent. Syst. Supp. pp. 549, 566 (1798) ; Bruiielti, 

 liec. Ind. Mus. i, p. 104 (1907). 



Gbxottpb, Musca ciqn-aria, L. ; by desiguatiou of Latreille 

 Consid. Gon. (1810). 



Head hemispherical, attached to thorax by a slender neck, as 

 wide as broadest part of thorax ; face sHghtly projecting, pu- 

 Iiesceut ; ocelli placed well forward on vertex in a short isosceles 

 triangle, equidistant in some species ; eyes bare, separated in 

 c? by a narrow frons, wider apart in 5 , upper facets in c? 

 scarcely larger than lower ones. Antennae short, in protile placed 

 below middle of head ; first two joints bristly, short, subequal ; 

 3rd joint shortl}^ conical or roughly i-ounded, with four aunula- 

 tions ; arista subapical, long, bare, except at base. Thorax M'ith 

 anterior part oblong, widened towards base of wings, posterior 

 part of dorsum rounded ; scutellum unarmed, usually concolorous 

 with the metallic-green dorsum and bearing the same short 

 pubescence. Abdomen much longer than thorax, with ]5arallel 

 sides or broader posteriorly, brilliantly shining metallic, the 

 d usually green or golden brassy, the $ more often blue or 

 violet, niodei'ately pubescent ; genitalia small. Legs simple, 

 rather long and thin ; metatarsi long. Wings genei-ally longer 

 than abdomen, over which they fold when at rest ; of the usual 

 Stratiomyid type ; costal vein nearly reaching wing-tip ; anterior 

 cross-vein connecting the prasfurca (instead of the 3rd vein) with 

 the discal cell, thus creating the appearance of the 8rd vein being 

 tw'ice forked ; 4th vein with three terminations, barelj' or not 

 reaching wing-margin ; posterior cross-vein distinct. Alar 

 squamae of moderate size, thoracic pair elongate, very prominent. 



Range. World-wide. 



Life-historij. That of several European species is known, the 

 larvse living in garden-mould, cow-dung, and in the elm. 



8ome attempt has been made to supplant the name t:iargus on 

 the ground of its being preoccupied, but the name is too old to be 

 changed now. Verrall also disputes the validity of the alleged 

 preoccupation. 



Table of Species. 



1. Wings dark brown ; length 14-18 mm i/emmifer, Walk. 



Wings yellowish 2. 



2. Legs all yellow metallinus, F. 



Hind tibia3 with broad blackish basal baud macfans, Walk. 



52. Sargus gemmifer, Wall-. 



Simjus gemmifer, Walker, List Dipt. ISrit. Mus. iii, p. 516 (1840). 

 Sarqus magnificus, Bigot, Ann. Soc. But. France, (5) ix, p. '222 

 (1879); Brunetti, Rec. Ind. Mus. i, p. 106 (1907). 



<S ? . Head with frons, though very narrow, parallel-sided for 



G 



