BY ARTHUR WHITE. 49 



New South Wales, but is not at present known in Tasmania, 

 although it may possibly occur. B. filipalpis, I believe to 

 have been merely described from a male of the previously de- 

 scribed B. incis'uralis. This species, on account of its possess- 

 ing four posterior veins, hairy eyes, separated in the male, 

 and thickened hind tibiae, I place in the genus Actina, 

 together with a new species. B. parvideiitata I have placed 

 in a new genus Antissella. The thi'ee remaining species, 

 B. quinquecella, B. nitidithorax, and B. fusciventris, are 

 unknown to me, and they must, therefore, remain for the 

 present as of doubtful position. B. quinquecella is described 

 as violet, with green reflections; length 3 lines. B. nitidi- 

 thorax as having the thorax brilliant green, with violet blue 

 reflections ; abdomen dull black, with last two spgmeuts 

 and margins blue ; length 3 lines. B. fusciventtis is described 

 as having the thorax hrilliant green, with violet reflections, 

 scutellum violet, abdomen brownish black, with incisions 

 bluish black ; length 3 lines. 



6. Actina, Meig. 



Slender flies with a metallic thorax, six spined scutellum, 

 •discal cell with four issuing veinlets, and eyes separated in 

 both sexes. 



Head larger in the male than in the female, short, and not 

 produced. Eyes separated in both sexes, somewhat nai'rowly 

 in the male, but widely in the female; in the male densely 

 hairy; but in the female with only very short pubescence. 

 Antennae set close together, the first and second joints short, 

 the third long and aunulated, and more than twice the length 

 ■of the first two joints together. Thorax densely hairy in the 

 male, but almost bare in the female; scutellum with six 

 spines. Abdomen flattened, with seven visible segments, 

 parallel sided in the male, Imt somewhat ovate in the female. 

 Legs with the iiind tibiae thickened, especially in the male; 

 first joint of the posterior tarsi lengthened in both sexes, and 

 dilated in the male. Wings with a conspicuous stijma; 

 cubital vein forked ; discal cell with four issuing vfinlets; 

 anal cell closed at a considerable distance Irom the wing 

 margin. 



This genus can be distinguished in both sexes from Beris 

 by the presence of four, instead of three, posterior veins. 

 The males can also be distinguished at once from those of 

 Neoexaireta (or Chorisops) by the densely hairy eyes, but in 

 the females the pubescence is short, and not always easv to 

 make out. So far as the Australian species are concerned, 

 however, there is no difficulty, the sole species of Neoexaireta 

 being distinguished at once by the parti-coloured wings. 



