200 THE DIPTERA-BRACHYCERA OF TASMANIA, 



Fig. 36. Wing of Sisyromyia hrevirosfris. 



Male. Face covered with pale yellow pubescence, front 

 with pale golden pubescence. Proboscis black, nearly 

 three times the length of the head, with the tip slightly 

 inflated. Antennae black, the first joint about three times 

 the length of the second, and bearing long yellow hairs, 

 the third about equal in length to the first two together, of 

 a slender strap-shape, with a rounded style-like apex. Eyes 

 joined. Thorax and abdomem of a dull black ground 

 colour, which in fresh specimens is entirely covered with 

 very long, furry, yellow pubescence, but this becomes very 

 easily detached. Legs very slender, femora black, Vv-ith 

 pale yellow pubescence, anterior and middle tibise red, pos- 

 terior tibiae brown, the whole bearing minute bristles ; 

 tarsi black. Wings hyaline, with the foremargin brownish. 



Female resembles the male, but the eyes are very widely 

 separated, and the pubescence of the face and front paler. 



This species seems to b© very local, but is probably com- 

 mon where it occurs. The males hover in the air in the 

 bright sunshine at a height of some five feet from the 

 ground, but should a cold wind arise they disappear com- 

 pletely. It occurs during February. 



Subfamily Lomatinse. 

 This subfamily may be recognised by the radial vein of 

 the wings being strongly looped before it reaches the costal 

 margin, in conjunction with the short proboscis. The 

 species may be either bare or covered with short pubes- 

 cence, but never with the long, furry pubescence of the 

 Bomhylimr ; thorax comparatively flat ; abdomen long and 

 frequently flattened; posterior cells always four in num- 

 ber. 



Tfihle of tlie Taxmani(ni Genera of Tjiniatinc^. 



1. Abdomen rather broad and greatly flattened, bear- 



ing abundant short pubescence ; tibiae with 

 bristles ; antennae with a long style. 



C () M p T s I A, Macq. 



2. Abdomen very narrow, almost cylindrical, practi- 



cally bare; tibiae absolutely without bristles; 

 antennae without a style. D o c i d o m y i a. Gen. no v. 



