MILESIA. 271 



210. Milesia gigas, Macq. 



Milesia f/tf/os, Macquart, Hist. Nat. Ins., Dipt, i, p. 533 (1834); id., 



Dipt. Exot. ii, 1^ p. 80, pi. xv, fig. 3 (1842). 

 Milesia semifulvit, de Meijere, Bijd. tot Dierk. xvii, p. 99, pi. viii, 



%. 10 (1904). 



d $ . Very near M. verticalis, but variable in size. Head : 

 vertex only just perceptibly above level of eyes ; back of bead not 

 projecting bebind eyes in [)roiile ; wbole bead more yello\\isb flian 

 orange, and tlie tomentnm pale yellow ; only tlie faintest trace of 

 a stripe on cbeeks. Thorax varying from orange-brown, witb 

 thi'ee more or less indefinite or incomplete, moderately wide, black 

 stripes not quite reacbiiig eitber front or bind margin, to an 

 almost entirely blackisb dorsum witli dull orange-brown anterior 

 corners, indistiuct narrow sutural band and bind margin. Pleurae 

 and scutellum varying from wbolly orange-brown (witli or without 

 a blackisb spot on mesopleurse) to ^\•bolly blackish. Pubescence 

 of thorax pale to brownish-yellow. Abdomen varying from 

 orange-brown to blackisb; in latter case 4th segment wbollv black 

 or with binder half reddisb-orange. A narrow, pale yellowish, 

 slightly arcuate band on anterior margin of 2iid segment ; 3rd 

 segment with a still narrower yellow band on extreme anterior 

 margin, almost imperceptible in centre. Venter with bases of 

 segments broadly yellowish. Pubescence of abdomen mainly verv 

 short, pale yellow, but darker towards sides in dark specimens. 

 Legs : fore pair orange-brown, a broad black streak below on basal 

 half of femora and one on hinder side of tibiae; middle legs wbollv 

 orange-brown, with long brownish-yellow pubescence below 

 femora and very long, bright yellow, coarse pubescence on hinder 

 side of tibiae ; hind femora from orange to blackish-brown, in the 

 latter case sometimes more or less orange-brown at base and lips; 

 bind tibiae similar ; hind tarsi from golden-brown to dark brown 

 above, paler below. There is a distinct, moderate-sized tooth 

 on the under side of the hind femora near the tip. Pubescence 

 of hind legs bright yellow to blackish-brown, generally following 

 ground-colour of body; very long and dense on under and hinder 

 sides of femora, and on inner and front sides of tibiae. Wings 

 pale yellowish-grey; anterior half down to about the spurious 

 vein a little more brownish. In all else as in verticalis. 



Length, 2U-27 mm. 



Described from three 6 d and one $ in tho Indian Museum in 

 indifferent condition ; two of them from the Darjiling District, 

 1000-3000 ft., V. 1912. In one d the band on the 2nd abdominal 

 segment is more whitisli and nearly translucent and wider towards 

 the sides, whilst the sides anteriorly of the 3rd segment and nearly 

 all tlie 4th segment have a rich brown tinge. Also described 

 partly from other specimens in tlie IJritisli Museum. Khasi Hills, 

 Assam (>Sladen): Moolau, Burma, ii. 1892 (liint/hani); Bukit 

 Kutu, Selangor {/i'ohinson). Described originally from Java, and 

 also recorded from Sumatra. 



