216 stephidjE. 



rather dense dark brown pubescence ; rest of dorsum dull 

 yellowish, rather brighter towards hind margin, with four equi- 

 distant, moderately narrow, blue-grey, not very distinct, sliort, 

 longitudinal stripes, the two median ones not reaching hind margin; 

 whole hinder half of dorsum and the wholly vellow scutellum 

 with short yellow pubescence ; mefanotum shining black, dusted 

 with yellowish-grey ; sternopleura and pteropleura yellowish, 

 with pale hair, the colour gradually darkening to the brown 

 upper sides of the thorax. Abdomen: 1st segment pale yellow 

 with short pale yellow pubescence ; hind angles orange. 2nd 

 segment brownish-orange, becoming brown towards sides, with an 

 elongated diamond-shaped yellow spot in middle, placed irans- 

 versely ; hind margin black, the colour not sharply defined, 

 broader in middle. 3rd segment with about anterior half yellow, 

 the colour broader in middle, sides and hind margin rather 

 broadly black; rest of segment orange-brown. 4th segment 

 similar to 3rd, the orange-brown part practically absent : 5th 



Fig. 41. — Merodon varicolor, Walk., hind leg. 



segment wholly black. The yellow and black parts of the 

 abdomen bear concolorous pubescence I'espectively. Venter black 

 with black pubescence ; base more or less brownish. Legs : 

 coxae chestnut- brown, fore pair nearly wholly and hind pair in 

 front with yellowish-grey {omentum ; femora chestnut-brown, 

 fore pair more or less black at base and on outer side; hind pair 

 practically wholly black except below for a short distance at tip ; 

 these latter bear a distinct tooth below just beyond the base and 

 an enlargement towards the tip without any actual tooth or 

 spine ; tibife blackish-brown, more or less broadly paler at base 

 and narrowly at tip ; hind pair thickened, curved, and with a 

 recess about the middle to receive the enlarged under side of 

 hind femora ; tarsi dark brown, merging into black at tips. All 

 the legs bear uniformly minute pubescence throughout. Wings 

 yellowish-grey, with a slight dark brownish suffusion about 

 stigmatic region ; halteres brownish-orange. 

 Length, 20 mm. 



