MERODOX. 215 



stripes of equal width (median stripe abbreviated behind) placed 

 close together, so that the yellow interuiediate space is very narrow ; 

 dorsum covered with short yellow hair. Humeral calli brown, 

 with yellowish hair ; posterior calli oval, distinct, shining. Sides 

 of thorax blackish-grey with mixed tufts of brown, white and 

 yellow hair ; scutellum yellow with yellow^ hair. Abdomen quite 

 elongated, resembling that of a Jlilesia ; in c? , 1st segment very 

 short, yellow ; 2nd tawny, with a thin basal black line produced 

 downwards across the disc to a rather wide, very indistinct, 

 blackish band towards posterior border ; rJrd segment with basal 

 half tawny, apical half brown ; 4th segment similar, but only basal 

 fourth yellowish; 5th segment uniformly rich brown. In the 5? 

 the transverse bands across the hind parts of the segments are black 

 instead of brown. In the J , the first three segments are covered 

 with soft yellow hair, much thicker on 2nd segment ; this hair 

 appears to be sparser in the $ . Legs black, knees of four 

 anterior legs tawny ; all the femora much thickened in the 6 , 

 but only the hind pair moderately so in tlie 5 . In the S , 

 the hind femora bear a distinct tooth in the centre of the under 

 side, and an erect fringe of l)right yellow hair on the upper side 

 for three-fourths of the length from the base, the remaining 

 fourth bearing black hair. Middle femora with a transverse ridge 

 below near tip, followed by a small blunt tooth ; middle tibiae 

 suddenly incrassated before the middle, with tw^o pairs of blunt 

 teeth at base. Between middle and hind coxae are two contiguous, 

 Lirge, conical, black teeth pointing hindwards. All the legs with 

 short black pubescence, longest on femora and hind tibia?. Wings 

 brownish-grey ; apical half, anteriorly, darker. 



Length, 19-25 mm. 



Described from 2^6 and 3 5» $ from Calcutta in the Indian 

 Museum. Two S 6 in the Bigot Collection in very indifferent 

 condition, without data. 



16i». Merodon varicolor, Wall-. 



Merndou varicolor, Walker, I'roc. Linn. 8oc. Lend, i, p. 122 (18o7). 



(S $ . Head: in cJ , eyes closely contiguous For about as far as 

 length of vertical triangle ; frons shining black with black hairs, 

 forming the antennal |)rominence; a little short white pubescence 

 on lower part of eyes in S . In J , frons just above antennaj nearly 

 one-third of head, narrowing to half that width at vertex, very- 

 dark brown with rather dense black pubescence : frontal promi- 

 nence shining black with black pubescence ; face considerably cut 

 away below antennal prominence, covered with pale yellowish 

 tomentum ; a median bare dark brown stripe ; cheeks and mouth- 

 opening shining brown, bare, clearly demarcated ; proboscis 

 blackish ; antennal first two joints shining black, 3rd dull black, 

 oval, arista brownish ; occiput black. Thorax -. anterior part 

 down to the suture, the shoulders and pleura^, dark brown with 



