SYUPHUS. 83 



sternopleura with yellowish-grey tomentiim ; rest of pleurae 

 ieiieous-black, with yellowish dust and whitish pubescence; or 

 tlie whole pleurte may be yellow-dusted and with yellow pubes- 

 cence. Scutelluiu translucent yellowish, base often slightly 

 darker, with yellow pubescence on basal half, black long iiairs 

 towards and on margin, and a drooping fringe of yellowish-white 

 hairs below extreme hind margin. Abdomen almost linear, slightly- 

 broader about the end of the 2nd segment ; wholly orange, varying 

 a little ill shade, an indistinct blackisli median spot on 1st seg- 

 ment united to a black stripe on hind margin; this does not reach 

 tlie sides, but is continued on 2nd segment as a transverse basal 

 band joined by a median stripe of varying width to a broad black 

 band on liind margin, this latter band uniformly wide and reach- 

 ing sides ; 3rd segment with a narrow transverse line of uniform 

 width (in Indian specimens), or narrowed to a point on each side 

 and also interrupted in the middle (in European specimens), 

 seldom reaching sides ; hind margin with a black band as on 

 2nd segment ; 4th segment similarly marked except that the hind 

 marginal baud leaves the extreme margin pale, and is slightly 

 convex anteriorly or straight in some cases and practically or 

 actually terminal : 5th segment orange with an indistinct small 

 black spot above the middle. Pubescence following ground- 

 colour, a few black tiny bristly hairs down middle of, and on 

 orange part of, 4th segment. Venter pale yellowish, a black 

 moderately wide band before the hind border on 2nd and 3rd 

 segments, (xenitalia orange and black. In the $ the abdominal 

 black marks are rather more extensive. Lerfs rather long, slender, 

 orange; coxae and trochanters blackish, hind tarsi slightly dark- 

 ened. Pubescence moderate, yellow ; some blackish hairs behind 

 middle femora beyond the middle, and on front side of hind 

 femora near tip ; some tiny bristles al)out tip of middle femora, 

 and in front of and about tip of, hind femora, also about top and 

 front of hind tibiie. Basal joint of hind tarsi long. Wings 

 nearly clear, subcostal cell and stigma very pale brownish-yellow ; 

 3rd vein sinuate, straight : halteres orange. 



Lenrjth, 8 to 11 mm. ; dwarf specimens are by no means rare. 



The above is partly based on Verrall's description of British, 

 or at least European, specimens, and is partly from Indian 

 examples. The abdomen is descri!)ed as orange with black marks 

 instead of vice versa because it seems more natural. The chief 

 ditference in Oriental specimens, especially Indian ones, is that 

 the narrow transverse lines on the 3r(l and 4th segments are of 

 more uniform w itith, more nearly attain the side mai-gins, and are 

 hardly ever interrupted in the middle, though they are sometimes 

 bent just a little forward in their centres. Specimens from 

 Shanghai and Hankow, China, more nearly approach the European 

 form; arul it is not at all uncommon to fiiul Indian specununs 

 with the two narrow transverse bands altogether wanting or 

 ])ractically so. Ue Meijere gives some interesting notes on the 

 typical form and the two varieties, necLarlnus and altcrmtns. 



g2 



