32 THE DIPTERA-BRACHYCERA OF TASMANIA, 



both sexes may sometimes be found in considerable num- 

 bers settled on bracken and other low vegetation. They 

 have a habit, when settled, of waving their front legs 

 to and fro, giving them the appearance of hymenoptera 

 with waving antennas. The males may also sometimes 

 be seen dancing in the air, with their long hind legs 

 hanging down. 



E. variabilis is a spring species, occurring from early 

 October to the end of November. 



ECTINORRHYNCHUS PHYCIFORMIS, Sp. nov. (Fig. 17). 



Antenna? greatly elongated ; front black ; thorax black, 

 with two yellow tomentose stripes; scutellum orange-red; 

 abdomen orange-red, covered in the male by a silvery 

 shimmering tomentum ; femora and tibiae orange ; tarsi 

 black, with basal half of first joint white. 



Length. Male, 11 mm.; female, 12 mm. 



Hab. Hobart, Wedge Bay (also in Victoria). 



Fig. 17. Head of Ectinorrhynchus phyciformie. 



Male. Head short, but longer than in K. variabilis ; 

 front black and shining. Proboscis brown ; palpi light 

 brown. Antennae much elongated, the first joint narrow, 

 about the length of the head, the second very short, the 

 third broad, shorter than the first; the first joint is 

 brown at the base, remainder of first joint and all of 

 second and third joints black. Eyes separated, but not 

 very widely. Thorax shining black, with two indistinct 

 tomentose stripes, and a patch on posterior margin, yel 

 low; scutellum orange-red, with a black patch on each 

 side. Abdomen orange-red. tin' second to fifth tegmenta 

 covered with a silvery shimmering tomentum. Legs with 

 anterior and middle femora orange; anterior and middle 

 tibiae yellow; posterior femora and tibia orange-red, the 

 latter blackish at the base; tarsi black, tin- first joint 

 with basal half white. WingB brown, darkest at the tips, 

 with a lighter patch almost, crossing th«- wing at the a])t>x 

 of the discal cell ; fourth posterior cell wide open. 



Female bears a general resemblance to the male, bub 

 the abdomen is a uniform orange-red, with incisions dark- 



