ISCHIODON. — SPH.rKOrilORIA. 99 



yellowisli. Legs yeliow ; a moJerately broad subapical black n'ug 

 on liind femora, less distinct in $ ; an indefinite median brown 

 ring ou hind tibiae ; tips of all tarsi blackish. Winijs clear ; 

 squamae large, greyish-white, with yellowish margins and long 

 white fringes ; halteres yellow. 



Lemith, about 8 mm. 



There is little (\.o\xht\:\\Vi.t cor omandelemis, Macq., is synonymous ; 

 the green thorax mentioned by that author is almost parallelecl by 

 the greenish aeneous tinge which is not uncommon in indiA'iduals 

 in this genus. Moreover, he states that the 3rd antennal joint is 

 elongate, which is one of the strongest characters of scutellaris. 

 A comparison of Bigot's type of fSi/rphus eri/thropi/yus (5 proves 

 this also to be couspecific The species is conunon in many parts 

 of India and Assam practically all the year round, and is one of 

 the most widely distributed tSyrphids in the East. It is also 

 common in Xorthern Africa and other parts of that continent. 

 The species has been bred more than once from larvae predaceous 

 on Aphidae on chrysanthemums and watermelons. 



Genus SPHiEROPHORIA, ,bY Farg. et Serv. 



Sphcerophoria, St. Fargeau et Serville, Eucycl. M^tliod. x, p. 518 

 (182;j) ; Brunetti, Rec. Ind. Mas. xi, p. 212, notes on Oriental 

 species (lOlo). 



MeUthreptna, Loew, Programm. Posen, p. 27 (1840), and Isis, viii, 

 p. 577 (1840). 



Melitruphus, Walker, lus. Brit., Dipt, iii, p. xxi (1856). 



GENOTrPE, Musca scripta, L. ; by Eondani's designation, 1844. 



Bead as broad as or broader tlian thorax, much broader than 

 long, mainly yellow ; eyes bare, contiguous in d for a short 

 distance, distinctly separated in $; face not prominent ; antennae 

 rather short, with 3rd joint oval or somewhat elongate ; arista 

 short, bare. Thorax distinctly broadest behind the middle, 

 blackish or aeneous, side margins and greater part of pleurae 

 distinctly yellow. Scutellum semicircular, always yellow. 

 Abdomen with five distinct segments in d apart from the 

 genitalia, and at least 6, often 7 or even 8, in $ ; twice as long as 

 thorax or even longer, narrow, fre(jueiitly linear, ti|) generally 

 rather clubbed in J; black, with yellow bands or spots, (xenitalia 

 large. Legs simple. Wings with practically the venation of 

 Sgrphiis. 



Life-hislorg. The larvae are aphidipliagous, several European 

 species having been bred. 



Range. Euroj)e, North and South Asia, Orient, North Africa, 

 Australia, North America and (ireenland. 



A natural group, in which the specie.'' shew a remarkable 

 tendency to form races; in Europe, North America antl India 

 this is equally the case. Any chanjie in the generic name 13 

 resented by Verrall (Brit. Flies, Syrphidip, ]) 427) 



ii 2 



