160 SYRPHIDiE. 



regarded as genera, the tiiiie-liououred genus Erlstalls would thus 

 be robbed of its universally accepted type-species. To avoid this 

 the name Eristalis would, as stated, have to stand for the present 

 EHstaJomi/ia, and the present subgenus Eriataiis (species with 

 pubescent arista) would have to be renamed. Secondly, this classifi- 

 cation is purely arbitrary, as all the subgenera so formed would 

 embrace incongruous species, even when only the Oriental species 

 of the genus are considered. A separation into species with the 

 thorax longitudinally striped and those with no stripes would not 

 be any better, for the same i-eason. The degree of pubescence or 

 bareness ot" the eyes has no taxonoinic value, as it varies in the sexes 

 of the same species, and is only useful occasionally in separating 

 small sets of species. Under these circumstances I have felt 

 justified in arranging the species in what appear to be natural 

 groups, constructed admittedly on general appearance. 



For practical purposes the s^iecies may be rouglily grouped as 

 follows : — 1 . Those with a metallic thorax : transpositus, liuUineuris. 

 2. iEneous or wholly black species : sepulcliralis, iaphicus, niger, 

 ohliquus, Icetus, mdculipennis, himalayensis, alhibasis. 3. Kather 

 densely pubescent species {intrlcarius-W^e) : orientalis, intricari- 

 oides. -i. Species with the facies of E. tenax : soUtics, tenax, 

 corpiatus, basifemoratus, anriustimarginalis, simulaius, arbustorum, 

 polycJiromatus, arvoruni, o-lineatus, tceniops, o-striatiis, tabanoides, 

 obscuritarsis. 5. Species with the facies of Ilegaspis, with short 

 abdomen and a transverse thoracic band : curvipes, latus,suturalis. 

 E. curvipes is placed in the last section on account of its trans- 

 verse thoracic bauds. 



126. Eristalis transpositus, Wallc. 



Eridnlis franspositHS, Walker, Traus. Ent. Soc. Lond., n. ser., v, 

 p. 289 (1860). 



c^ 5 . " Bluish-green, shining ; head black in front, where there 

 is white shining tomentum on each side ; antennae black ; abdomen 

 bright cupreous at the tip ; tarsi black ; wings blackish on the fore 

 half, limpid on the hind border. 



" Length of the body 7|-8i lines ; of the wings 16 lines. 

 Burma." 



Tijpe originally in Saunders's collection, probably now lost, and 

 no subsequent information seems available. 



The metallic thorax will separate this species and paUineurls fi'om 

 all other Indian ones. 



127. Eristalis pallineuris, JIacq. 



Eristalis pallineuris, Macquavt, Dipt. Exot. ii, 2, p. 46 (1842). 



(^ . '• Face with white tomentum and indistinct brown band. 

 Frons in front with yellowish tomentum and short black hairs. 



