68 



Transactions. 



Art. IX.-On Tipula heterogama, a New Svecies of Crane-fly in New 



Zealand. 



By G. V. Hudson, F.E.vS. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 3lst July, 1912.] 



The male of this handsome crane-fly is often seen restmg on fences about 

 wJlmgton and the suburbs, but, owing to her semi-apterous condition, 

 tlie female is seldom noticed. , -, , .x, t ^^. 



The expansion of the wings of the male is 1| m., and the length of the 

 body slightiy over 4 in. GeLral colour reddish-brown. Head ochreous- 

 brown with the eyes black. Prothorax dull ochreous, with two dark-brown 

 tnanXmarks and two oval spots ; rest of the thorax dark reddish-brown 

 AhdoTenTark redd.sh-brown, vnth the central secpnents black a^d tre ternnnal 

 4,e:S.ft,. and consp^c.o^,s ; the entire aMo.en ^s highly poUshed. 

 Legs dark-brown and rather stout. , , i ,i t 



The length of the body m the female is about f m., and the length of 

 the^^^tary w.ngs I J than I. n (In ^jt^trfTd sli^ 

 distinctly longer.) The general colour is blackish-biown, and snmmg. 

 TTahtnTfs eLgateJ^^^^ wUh a cons^m'^us reddMrown ov^pos^tor. 

 The legs are short and ratber stout. 



The late Captain Hutton, who did so much valuable ^vork anrongst 

 the New Zealand Diptera, regarded this species as a variety of T. ohscurt- 

 vlnis I am now quite Convinced, however, that it is a good species and 

 Tave itaUcLd m the above description some of its --^^ essentia d^^^ 

 tmctions. I hope, however, that m the near future a more detailed 

 description will be drawn up by an expert m the order. 



During the early part of this winter I made many observations on living 



species. T^vula heterogama appears m the f f ^^/f ^^j.^^^'^d'f erent to 

 April, and continues abundant until the end of May. It '^ '^"^^'^^^ r^ 

 W tPmi^eratures and I have counted as many as six males lest^mg on the 

 soutHdH my house at night and in the early morning with the thermo- 

 .south sKieoi rny "^^^^ ^ nhscurwennis is also a late autumn and 



"rwt:tt;'ects bu^ ^pp--.^« ^« t-* 



t'foS eS ihan that of T. leterogama. The two specie^ are ho 

 ever about together, and this circumstance, coupled with ^te /act th^ 

 Zly both have semi-apterous females, no doubt caused the late Captam 

 Hutton to regard them merely as varieties of one species. 



