MEGASPIS. 199 



Mticquart erected the genus Dolichomerus for this species on 

 account of tlie toothed hind femora and other characters, and 1 

 do not know uhy it sliould not he adopted. 



157. Megaspis errans, Fair. 



Si/)-phus erranx, Fabricius, Mant. Ins. ii, p. 337 (^1787). 

 Eristulis errans, Wiedemann, Auss. Zweifi. ii, p. loo (1830). 

 Eristalis varipes, Macquart, Dipt. Exot. ii, 2, p. 46, pi. x, fig. 4 



(1842). 

 Eristalis amphicrates, Wallcer, List Dipt. Brit. Mus. iii, p. 623 



(1849). 

 Eristalis macquartii, Doleschall, Nat. Tijd. Ned. Ind. x, p. 410. 



pi. vii, tig. 1 (1856). 

 Megaspis errans, Brunetti, llec. Ind. Mus. ii, p. 71 (1908). 



(5 $. Differing from argyrocephalus as follows: — Eyes in S 

 contiguous for ii much longer dist.-ince and upper facets distinctly 

 larger tlian lower ones. Facial bump orangu-yellow ; pubescence 

 of frons and face more yellowish than white ; that on vertical 

 triangle, however, dark brown. Antennte wholly orange, arista 

 orange, quite bare. Ground-colour, including frontal callus and 

 mouth- border, orange-yellow ; central bump normally covered by 

 the pubescence, but space over mouth-border, and the strip thence 

 on each side to eyes, bare, orange-yellow. Vertex broadly black 

 with dense short blackish-brown pubescence. Thorax: dorsum 

 practically all blackish, with suture on each side for a greater or 

 less distaiice pale, |)artly dividing the black part; and as the anterior 

 half is usually duller black than the hinder, or even greyish, there 

 is in such specimens some resemblance to argi/rocej)hahis. Hind 

 margin of dorsum broadly yellowish-grey, and anterior half with 

 two rather l)road, approximate, median, short stripes which are 

 always obvious when seen from behind but never conspicuous. 

 Pubescence yellow on anterior and hinder parts, dark brown on 

 black median part below suture. ^k/()»?eu brownish-orange; 2nd, 

 3rd and 4th segments each having on hind border a large blackish- 

 brown triangular spot, filling one-third or more of the surface 

 and extended more or less along hind margin. Kemainder of 

 surface of 3rd and 4th segments aeneous, this colour extending 

 occasionally also along hind border, thus isolating the dark 

 triangular spot. Leys as, in arf/)/7'ocephalus except that the basal 

 half, more or less, of hi ml femora is brownish-orange. Winr/s 

 as in arffi/rocephahis. 



Lenijtli, 9-11 mm. 



This species and argyrocephahia are very closely allied, but the 

 colour of the hind femora and the pretience or absence of pubes- 

 cence on the arista will separate them with certainty. 



Described from a number of both sexes from various sources. 

 Very common throughout the East. Sukna (Annandale) ; Pnsa ; 

 Bangalore (c^. Cavieron); Trivandrum, Travancore ; Paranibikulam, 

 Cochin State (Gravely) ; Coorg, S. India, 2!)-3(). iv. 1913; 



