98 H. C. EFFLATOUN. 



Not much is known of the métamorphoses of this genus but I 

 hâve bred our common E. S'pinigera from the rhizomes of the 

 German iris {Iris germcmica). The larvae were found infesting the 

 rhizomes in compan.v with a few larvae of Eumerns amœnus* but 

 the rhizomes,! tliiiikjiad beeii previously attacked by the ''bulb mite," 

 {Rhizoglyphns hyacinthi), and in ail probability the larvae of the 

 flies had not been attracted until décomposition had started. Mr. 

 F.C. Willcocks also bred <S'. sjrinigera from larvae found in the grow- 

 ing point of l^anana trees infested with celvvorms, and three 

 spécimens of adult S. sjnnigera exist in the collection of the Entomo- 

 logical Section, Ministry of Agriculture, labelled "on rotten stems 

 of pawpaw (Tel-el-Kebir)." 



According to Lundbeck, BeJing has (lcscril)cd tlie larva of 

 Syritta as being 10 mm. in length, almost cylindrical, a littlc at- 

 tenuated towards both ends; it is dirty yellowish, the dermis is 

 tough and short-spinulose ; the segments with about four corruga- 

 t;on~ each ; on the ventral side are seven pairs of small prolegs 

 with spines ; the prothoracal segment has at the front margin 

 nunierous, short, brown, recurved spines in transverse rows ; above 

 the mouth-opening arc as usual the two-jointed, antennaelike 

 organs ; at the posterior end of the body are on cach side three 

 filaments, the posterior one being the largest ; at the end itself is 

 a brown, somewhat flattened posterior spiracular process ; it has 

 a longitudinal dividing line above and below and bears the spira- 

 cles on the fiât end. 



The pupa is arched, rounded in front, slightly attenuated 

 behind ; near the anterior end are two short, cylindrical, yellow 

 anterior sjDiracular tubes ; they are a little distant, directed up- 

 wards and diverging, and they bave the somewhat thickened apical 

 half beset with small tubercïes, partly arranged in rings ; at the 

 posterior end is the larval posterior spiracular process, directed a 

 little upwards. The length of the pupa is about 6 mm. 



The species of Syritta are remarkably good and daintv hoverers 

 and are characterised by their strongly thickened hind femora. 

 Our common .S', s'pinigera may be seen evervwhere hovering over 

 fiowers and plants. I hâve watched the copulation of S. suhfilis : 

 the maie hangs in the air for one minute or more over the feniale 

 which is sitting on a leaf or flower. then he darts down on the 

 female and soon after, copulation takes place, — the pair remain- 

 ing in copula from three to four hours. 



Only about 7 species of this genus are known from the 

 Palscarctic région, two of which occur in Egypt. 



