CERIA. 323 



sometimes very considerably so (rec;illirtg that of a wasp), gener- 

 allv with yellow (occasionally reddish) bands. Leys moderately 

 long and strong; tibiic subelavate. Wings with ciiaracteristic 

 venation; marginal cell widely open, 3rd vein with a distinct, 

 more or less pointed loop downwards into the 1st posterior cell, 

 from the tip of which a short stump of a vein projects some 

 distance across the cell, \^ hich latter is more or less pointed at 

 tip, closed near the wing-border; anterior cross-vein distinctly 

 bevond middle of discal cell ; 4tli vein ^\'ith traces of an appendix 

 at point of upward detlection. 



Range. AVorld-wide. 



Life-history. The larvae of the European C. conopsoides have 

 been found in the sap of diseased poplars and other trees and in 

 ulcers on elms. They are described as elongate-oval, flat below, 

 arciied above, shagreened with small spines, with an anterior 

 spiracular tubercle on either side near the hind margin of the 

 i)rorhoracal segment, and with a posterior spiracular process more 

 than one-third as long as the body. Each body-segment has on 

 (^it her side two or tlu-ee warts, each bearing a group of hairs or 

 spines, and towards the hind end the warts become long filaments, 

 (aee Lundbeck, Diptera Danica, v, p. 588, 1916.) 



This genus consists of a good number of moderately large or 

 quite large wasp-like flies with well-defined yellow or reddish 

 markings on their black bodies. The genus is very easily 

 recognised wiien once known. 



On the principle of continuity before priority I retain the 

 generic name Ceria in preference to Cerioides ; and I am inclined 

 to recognise Spliiximorplia, Hond., as a good genus, in spite of the 

 existence of some intermediate species, of which, however, none 

 are known from the East*. 



Table of Species. 



1. No antennal petiole (Sphiximorpha, Roud.) 2. 

 A very long and conspicuous ])etiole 



( Ceria, V., .<i. sf.r. ) o. [p. 32o. 



2. Ilumeii blnck frulistorfcri, de Meij., 



lluni'^ri yellow .'<. [p. 325. 



3. Orange-brown spe -ics fiilvescens, ]}run., 



Bliick-aTid-yellow spscies 4. 



4. Tliird and 4tli abdominal sefrinents each 



with a pair of lon^iitudinal yellow spots, decontta, sp. n , p. 326. 

 Third and 4tli abdnnnual segments with only [p. 327. 



yellow bands on liind margins triauyuUfera, IJrun., 



o. («) Second abdominal segment barely or 

 not at all narrowed: Lst and 2nd seg- 

 ments gonHniUy subequal ; or, 2nd a 

 little or ilistinctly lonfjertlian 1st; .'{rd 

 always a littb' or distinctly longer than 

 2nd ; 3rd and 4tU subuqual 6. 



* Vide my njtes. Rcc. Tnd. Mas. xi, p. 2'A (191.")>. 



V2 



