I'OIITSCIIINSKIA. 405 



various lengths, 2ikI wiUi longer, red-brown or yellowisli bristles, 

 3r(l very broad and thick, about twice as high as long, deeply 

 excavated af tip, and on side margins in profile, the red-brown 

 arista being set in this apical caviby. Occiput black, with red- 

 brown pubescence. Thorax: ground-colour shining black, wholly 

 covered with long, dense pubescence, which is pale yellowish or 

 bi'ownish on the anterior third, the luuneral region, the iiind 

 corners broadly, and rather narrowly on the hind margin ; and 

 which is black on the remainder ol" the dorsum. Seul^eilar 

 pubescence dense, pale yellowish, that of pleurtc mainly similar 

 on niesopleura and steruopleura and dark brown on remainder. 

 yl6(^»uH entirely black. In S , with dense pubescence, which is 

 yellowish on 1st and 2nd segments and black on 3rd, with a 

 yellowish hind marginal fringe to latter ; 4th, 5th and 6th wholly 

 covered with bright orange-red pubescence. In $, pubescence 

 black on the whole of 3rd segment, on base and hind margin of 

 4th and on about middle of 5th, rest of the surface with orange- 

 red pubescence. Venter black ; pubescence long and dense 

 mainly black but yellow ish at sides of 2nd segment, and orange, 

 red at apex of abdomen. Legs: coxa? and femora black, with 

 long, deu'^e, rather ragged hair on under side ; fore femora with 

 such hair on hinder side also; tibia) and tarsi dark brown, 

 with moderately long red-brown pubescence ; apices of tarsi 

 black ; pnlvilli and claws black. Wvnrjs pale yellowish-grey ; 

 whole surface wrinkled ; venation in accordance with the generic 

 diagnosis ; alar squamae moderately dark grey with a blackish fringe 

 and a conspicuous dark brown margin ; thoracic squama) paler 

 grey, wrinkled, with a similar margin but no fringe. 



Length, 18-21 mm. 



Kedescribed from two 6 6 and one 5 in the Indian Museum 

 collection from Andarban, Garhwal District, AV. Himalayas, 

 11,000 ft., vi. 1914 {Col. Tgtler); also from one d in the British 

 Museum from Sikkim, vii. 1804 (Col. Bingham). Originally 

 described from a specimen taken " on the crest of the Burchan 

 Budda" [a mountain range in Koko Nur, North Tibet] "at an 

 absolute elevation of 14,000 ft." 



This is the species referred to in my original description of 

 Criorrhina imitator as the large Kchinomi/ia-Wke fly whicli mimics 

 that Syrphid. On being shown to Major Austen, it was imme- 

 diately recognised by him as the CEstrid PortscUinskia przewahl-gi, 

 Ports. The general resemblance between the Criorrhina, tlie 

 (Estrid and several species of BomhuH frequenting the Himalayas 

 and adjacent regions, is very striking*. 



The generic and specific reference, and the above particulars 

 are gleaned from notes made bv Major Austen some years ago 

 in the British Museum collection. He also remarked its resem- 

 blance to the species of Lycastris (tlien nndesciibed) which 1 have 

 had the pleasure of naming after him {ante, p. 279). 



* See note under Criorrhina imitator, ante, p. 284. 



