1915. | E. Brunetri: Notes on Oriental Syrphidac. 207 
5th abdominal segment shew no trace of black hairs (though the 
pubescence is considerably worn off). 
In gvossa the whole of the 5th segment, and the major part 
of the 4th segment are entirely black haired. 
On the other hand, the special points of similarity, in addi- 
tion to a very close general agreement with Verrall’s description, 
are the shape of the face in profile, the three faint channels 
on the frons in the 9 ,and the distinctly more reddish colour 
of the pubescence on the head and thorax in the @ specimen. 
The size also agrees, @ I10 2 If mm.; Verrall giving ‘‘about 
crsmina, 
MELANOSTOMA, Sch. 
Melanostoma ambiguum, [ln. 
Melanostoma dubium, Zett. 
These two European species were introduced in my previous 
paper on Oriental Syrphidae, on a single example of each from 
the Simla District. The former, represented by a @ from 
Matiana, is truly identified, agreeing in every particular with 
Verrall’s very faithful description, but the specimen referred by me 
to dubium proves on a closer examination to be only a melanoid 
Platychirus albimanus, F. There is the less excuse for this error, 
seeing that I knew this species to occur in the Himalayas. 
Melanostoma orientale, W. 
(Plate xili, fig. 2.) 
In my notes on diptera from Simla (Rec. Ind. Mus. i, 168) 
were included M. mellinum, L. and M. scalare, F., both common 
European species. The examples referred to scalare are only 
ovzentale, and as regards those supposed to be mellinum there 
is ample room for doubt as to their identity. In fact mellinum 
in typical form may possibly not occur in the East at all, although 
as it isso abundant throughout the whole of Europe it will be 
curious if it is not found in the Himalayas. 
However, it seems to me highly probable that ovtentale is 
not specifically distinct from mellinum, a species it is more akin 
to than scalare. 
The principal alleged difference is the grey-dusted frons and 
face in orientale, but numerous specimens occur in which this 
is much less conspicuous than usual, thereby closely approx1- 
mating to mellinum. Among the males, specimens occur which 
are hard to definitely assign to either species, and three Darjiling 
specimens in the Museum taken by me may really be true 
mellinum. 
The females in orientale are more easily recognised by the dust 
spots on the frons being more closely approximate, so that the 
vertex and the lower part of the frons are more clearly demar- 
cated, but a near approximation to this is not infrequently met 
