MELANOSLOMA.—ASARCINA. 21 
13. Melanostoma annulipes, Mucquart (1842). 
A very variable species, but easily recognised by its black-rmged 
legs and short abdominal spots. 
The species varies in the colouring of the legs, the hind pair 
being sometimes mainly black, and in the shape of the yellow 
abdominal spots, those on the second segment being often wanting. 
It is the predominant African species, which seems to replace 
the Palearctic scalare. The length of the body varies from 
7 to 9 mm.; the essential characters are the bare arista, the 
annulated legs, and the yellow abdominal spots being not longer 
than half the segment which bears them, and usually much shorter, 
chiefly in the female. 
The collection contains the following forms :— 
(a) annulip2s, Macq.—Of this typical form there are specimens 
from Marsabit, Brit. EH. Africa, 21. ix. 1911 (R. G. Stordy); 
Oshogbo, 8. Nigeria, xi. 1910 (Dr. 7. F. J. Mayer); Guangeru, 
N. Nigeria, 15. xi.1910 (Dr. J. W. 8. Macfie) ; Onaaee Ashanti, 
28. vi. 1907, “caught hovering over stream” (Dr. W. AL. Graham). 
(6) automenes, Walk. (+ annulatum, Big., + pyr ophenoides, 
Speis. ).—Two male specimens from Obuasi, “Ashanti, 4. vi. 1907 
and 7.x1.1907 (Dr. W. ML. Graham). 
(c) mauritianum, Big. (+ gymnocerum, Big.).—Three females 
from Obuasi, Ashanti, TR vil. 1907 and 22.x. "1907 (Dr. W. M. 
Graham), which agree better with gymnocerum. A couple from 
Mahé, Seychelles Islands, ix. 1908 (Hugh Scott), are typical 
mauritianun. 
14. Melanostoma infuscatum, Becker (1910). 
Easily known on account of its black antenne and legs and 
general very dark colouring ; perhaps only an extreme form of the 
preceding specics. 
Three males and one female from Mt. Chirinda, Southern Rho- 
desia, vi. 1911 (C. #. ML. Swynnerton), which have yellow knees 
on the hind legs, while the female has mainly yellow fore legs ; 
length 7°5 to 8 mm. Two males from Brit. E. ‘Africa, E E. side of 
Aberdare Mountains, 7,800 ft., 24.11.1911 (2. J. Anderson), are 
of somewhat larger size (9 mm.) and have entirely black hind 
legs, while a female from the same locality and ‘collector has 
entir ely black antenn, but mainly yellow legs. 
Genus 4. ASARCINA, Macquart (1842). 
On this interesting genus I have published two papers, in 1903 
and 1908 *, which have been criticised by Dr. Speiser in his work 


* “TDi una specie inedita di Ditteri italiani appartenente ad un genere 
nuovo per la Fauna europea,” Bull. Soc. Entom. Ital. xxxv. pp. 3-19 (1903). 
‘Secondo contributo alla conoscenza del genere Asarcina,’ Ann. Mus 
Nation. Hungar. vi. pp. 495 504 (1908). 
