270 Records of the Indian Musciiiii. [\'oi.. IV, 



the scape, a comparative!}' long first flagellar joint, followed by 

 eight others of a flattened Ijead shape, with a moderatel}' long, 

 conical terminal joint. This is not entirely a conclusive character, 

 as at least one other allied Oriental species {Plecia fidvicollis, F.) 

 has twelve-jointed antennae, instead of ten- or eleven-jointed as 

 in the other allied species belonging to this region. 



Pleciomyia melanaspis, Wied. 



Even as early as 1828 Wiedemann recognised a generic differ- 

 ence between this species and the species of Plecia, by placing it 

 in Penthetria. I have not seen any other species that can be 

 referred to m)^ new genus. 



P. melanaspis is quite common apparently all along the Hima- 

 layas, the Indian Museum series representing Naini Tal, v-1893; 

 BhimTal, 19 — 2 2-ix-o6; Theog (Simla district), 27-iv-07 ; Kurseong, 

 9-ix-09 ; Siliguri, 18 — 20-vii-07 (both Darjiling district, hills and 

 plains respectively). P'rom the latter localit}- there is a d' and 

 9 in cop. Also from vSoondrijal and Katmandu (both Nepal), 

 Sikhim and Mungphu in the E. Himalayas, and Sibsagar, vShillong, 

 Margherita in Assam. 



It is known from Siberia, China and Japan, and I found it 

 common both at Darjiling. 21-ix to 2-X-08, and also at Hankow , 

 China, 22— 26-iv-o6, but only sparingly at Mussoorie, 20-V-05. 



PLECIA, Wied. 

 Table of species. 



A The 3rd longitudinal vein forks at 

 some distance beyond the anterior 

 cross-vein (nearly at half the length 

 of its lower branch) and always dis- 

 tinctly beyond the fork of the 4th 

 vein. 



B Whole thorax reddish yellow, including 

 dorsum, sides, scutellum and meta- 

 notum. Antennae 12-jointed . . julvicollis, F. 



BB Dorsum of thorax and scutellum red- 

 dish yellow; the sides and metano- 

 tum black. Antennae lo-jointed . . tergorata, Rond. 

 AA The 3rd longitudinal vein forks shortly 

 beyond the anterior cross-vein (dis- 

 tinctly before one-third of the length 

 of its lower branch), and approxi- 

 mately opposite the fork of the 4th 

 vein ; the upper branch lying almost 

 parallel to the lower one, not almost 

 erect as in Division A. 



C Not wholly black species. Dorsum of 

 thorax reddish -yellow. Antennae 

 ii-jointed .. .. .. indica ^ s\>. nov. 



