44 THE MPTEEA-BRACHYCERA OF TASMANIA, 



hitherto been known to occui- : the Ccenomijin(2, however,, 

 have the third joint of the antennae flagelliform and aunu- 

 lated, and the cubital fork of the wings large, bell-shaped, 

 and embracing the wing tip. I consider that its real relation- 

 ships are more correctly indicated by the shape of the 

 antennae, and the abortive third posterior vein, characters 

 that are shared by Spania. The genus is probably a con- 

 necting link between the LeptidcB and the Tahanidcp. 



Spaniopsis tabaniformis, Sp. nov. (Fig. 2.) 



A fly resembling a small Tabanus. Thorax varying from 

 yellow brown to blackish, with three dark longitudinal 

 sti'ipes, the middle one short, the outer extending the entire 

 length of the thorax ; abdomen with first segment pale grey 

 or brown, remaining segments black, with pule hind margins ; 

 legs yellow, with the tarsi darkened; wings with a con- 

 spicuous stigma. 



Length. Female, 5 mm. 



Hab. Freyciuet's Peninsula. 



Female. Face light grey ; front brown, with very short, 

 stiff, black pubescence, and a small pale grey patch above the 

 antennae on either side. Proboscis dark brown. Palpi 

 yellow, with the extreme tips darkened. Antennae black ; 

 the first two joints very small, cuj^-shaped, and of almost 

 equal length, the third broadened, twice the length of the 

 first and second together, and produced into a short thick 

 aiista, which is distictly subterminal, and is about the same 

 length as the three joints of the antennae together. Thorax 

 brown, with three dark longitudinal stripes, the middle one 

 short; the outer ones extending the whole length of the 

 thorax, the whole covered with very sb.ort and sparse black 

 pubescence; scutellum brown, slightly darker than the 

 thorax. Abdomen about the same length as tlie thorax and 

 scutellum; first segment pale brown or grey, remaining 

 segments black, with hind margins light brown or grey ; 

 ovipositor ending in two small outspread lamellae. Legs pale 

 yellow, with short pubescence, but without bristles, and tibiae 

 without any distinct spurs. Wings with the curious venation 

 described under the generic characters, hyaline, with veins 

 and stigma black. 



This species is subject to some variation. The colouring 

 of the front and thorax varies from yellow brown to black, 

 the sides of the thorax from light gi-ey to black, and the 

 lighter parts of the abdomen from grey to brown ; in the 

 wings the discal cell is more angulated below in some 

 specimens than in others, and the angulation is occasionalljt 



