1882.) 203 



Zett. The fenialos of II. inclsiirata and II. scalaris arc very similar, but may be dis- 

 tinguislied by the neuration of the wings, the third and fourth longitudinal con- 

 verging a little in the latter, and being almost parallel in the former species. It is 

 not very common, but generally distributed. 



H. MANicATA, Meig. 



The males of this pretty species are characterized by having the anterior knees 

 pale, and also the fore tibia?, with the exception of their apices, which ai-e black, 

 thickened, and furnislied on tlieir outer sides with a little tuft of black hairs, which 

 is sometimes adpressed so as to be easily overlooked ; a long straight spine also pro- 

 jects downwards from the base of each middle coxa. The females may be distin- 

 guished by the pale colour of the fore tibias Not common. 



11. AKMATA, Mcig, 



This little species differs from most of the otlicrs by having the abdomen wide 

 and less elongated. Mcigen's description is very correct, but he omits to mention 

 that the posterior tibia; are curved as well as thickened, and ciliated with longisli 

 hairs on both sides. The females of this and many other species of Homaloymia 

 are very difficult to determine, unless they are captured together with the males. 

 Generally distributed. 



H. SPISSATA, sp. n. 



Mas, niger nitidus, ahdomine oblongo depresso r/lauco, linea dorsali angnlata 

 ornato ; femora intermedia suhtus liisjiida ; iihice intermedice midcB abrvptc spjissatce : 

 tibicB posticce intus ciliatce. Long. 2\ lin. 



Head : eyes sub-contiguous ; ai'ista bare. 



Thorax, with the scutellum, black, shining, and unstriped. 



Abdomen oblong and depressed, grey with glistening white reflections when 

 viewed from behind, and appearing of a brownish-black colour when seen from before. 

 It is marked by an interrupted dorsal band, which is dilated at the base of each seg- 

 ment into a triangular spot ; anal processes very small. 



Wings slightly nigrescent, third and fourth longitudinal veins parallel; external 

 transverse vein nearly straight and upright, separated from the internal transverse 

 vein by about twice the distance that it is from the termination of the fifth longi- 

 tudinal. 



Scales of Calyptra of moderate size and unequal length, and of a soi'did white 

 or brownish colour. IlaJteres yellow. Legs black, with the exception of the bases 

 of the anterior tibite, which are testaceous ; front pair simple ; middle femora fur- 

 nished beneath with longish black bristles, not extending to the apex, and arranged 

 in two parallel rows ; coxee without spines ; middle tibiae abruptly thickened or 

 tuberculated on their inner sides at about one-third from the lower end ; tubercle 

 smooth, not ciliated ; posterior tibise slightly curved, somewhat thickened, furnished 

 with a few long hairs in the middle of their inner surfaces, and with a number of 

 bristles and hairs of irregular lengths on their outer sides. 



This is possibly the H. armata of Macquart ; it differs from S. armata of 

 Meigen, and also from H. manicata of Meigen, by having the tubercular projection on 

 the middle tibiaa smooth and not bearded with short hairs as in both those species. 



