1 62 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol.. VIII, 



middle, more conspicuously so behind, both are of uniform width 

 with the spots on the 2nd segment. Extreme posterior margin of 

 5th segment yellow. Pubescence of abdomen black, even on the 

 yellow parts, but there is the usual amount of hair about the anterior 

 corners, where it is bright yellow. Belly blackish, the yellow 

 bands present about the same appearance as on the dorsum. 



Legs. — Coxae, nearly the basal half of the anterior femora, all 

 the hind femora except the tips, and hind legs wholly, except the 

 basal third of their tibiae, black ; the remainder of the legs yellow, 

 tips of anterior tarsal joints with a row of black bristles, giving a 

 darkened appearance to these parts, and the anterior tarsi with 

 short black bristly hairs below. Hind tibiae with golden yellow 

 pubescence on inner side; hind tarsi with similar pubescence below. 



Wings clear, subcostal cell brownish j^ellow; halteres yellow. 



Described from a single $ , Rotung, 26-ix-ii. 



N.B. — This species is remarkably like the ver}^ common 

 Palaearctic 5. ribesii , L. and may possibl}' be a variety of it, unless 

 the limits of that species are truly known. If so, it differs from 

 ribesii by the hind femora being principally black. In this respect 

 it resembles vttripennis , Mg., if this latter is really distinct. Verrall 

 states of viiripennis, in comparing that species with his wonder- 

 fully correct description of 5. ribesii, that its best specific distinc- 

 tion from the latter is " the scarcity of the tiny black bristles 

 about the tip of the hind femora in both sexes," In ribesii these 

 bristles are wholly yellow on all the femora except the middle pair 

 (where they are black) ; in vitripennis they are all black and scarce. 

 In the present form they are black and numerous. The hind 

 tibiae are all black except about the basal third, whereas in ribesii 

 there is at most an obscure dark patch on the front side, and in 

 vitripennis the tibiae are wholly yellow. 



The present form is as distinct from both ribesii and vitri- 

 pennis as these two are from one another, but I am still open to 

 question whether the three forms are not merely three well-marked 

 varieties of one species. There are also so-called "species" in 

 North America so near ribesii that further confirmation of their 

 distinctness would be very satisfactory. 



Syrphus maculipleura, mihi, sp. nov. 



9 N.E. Frontier of India. Long. 6 mm. 



Head. — Krons at base of antennae one third of the head, 

 diminishing to half this width on the vertex, where it is shining 

 with a dark violet aenous tinge. Remainder of frons shining 

 aenous black, except for a narrow pale yellow eye margin which 

 joins the pale yellow face, on which is a broad shining black 

 middle stripe from the base of the antennae to the mouth. The 

 small space between the roots of the antennae, ^^ellow. Antennae 

 with ist and 2nd joints brown, 3rd with upper half black and 

 lower part dull reddish brown. Frons with fine black hairs, face 



