283 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. VI, 



its base, forming aright angle, and in contact with the " kink " in 

 the 1st longitudinal vein immediately above. Upper branch of 

 4th vein forked immediately on quitting the discal cell, the two 

 veinlets springing simultaneously and diverging, making the 2nd 

 posterior cell pointed at its basal end. Discal cell quadrangular, 

 very narrow, slightly broader at the tip. Lower branch of 4th 

 vein forming, with its basal section, a gentle curve ; posterior 

 cross- vein situated at the base of the discal cell, making the 4th 

 posterior cell nearly as long as the 2nd basal cell. The 5th vein 

 gently curved at the tip, the 6th nearly straight, the 7th nearly 

 straight, moderately short, the wing-margin a little emarginate 

 where the vein ends. 



Gymnastes violaceus, mihi, sp. nov. 

 cf . Ceylon. lyong. 2^ — 2^ mm. 



Head. — Frons brilliantly shining violet-blue, with an isolated 

 hair here and there. Proboscis yellowish, palpi brownish. Antennae 

 brownish yellow, becoming a little darker brown towards the tips, 

 closely yellowish white pubescent on the flagellum, the scape bear- 

 ing only a few short bristl}'^ hairs. Face below antennae blackish, 

 dull. 



Thorax brilliantly shining violet-blue, an irregular row of 

 dorso-central short, yellowish hairs ; scutellum blackish grey, dull. 



Abdomen brilliantly shining violet-blue, traces of pale yellow 

 very short hairs on posterior margins of segments, and more distinct, 

 similar hairs at the sides of the abdomen. Belly similar, genitalia 

 moderately large, a basal pair of cylindro-ovate large fleshy claspers , 

 with a second joint consisting of a long narrow horny slightly 

 curved appendage. 



Legs yellowish ; a sub-apical broad dark brown ring on 

 femora and tibiae, both bands darker and broader on the hind 

 pair of legs. Tarsi black except the yellowish basal half to all the 

 metatarsi. 



Wings. — Venation in accordance with the generic characters ; 

 nearly clear ; with four cross-bands, moderatel}' blackish, all 

 beginning on the costa. The first two are narrow, beginning 

 respectively over the "kink" in the ist longitudinal vein 

 (in front of the origin of the 4th vein), and the origin of 

 the 2nd vein, both continuing posteriorly as far as the 7th vein, 

 where they meet, the 7th vein being clouded anteriorl}^ The 

 third band is the widest and begins on the costa widely each 

 side of the marginal cross- vein, continuing posteriorly, embracing 

 the cross-veins and the whole of the discal cell, to the posterior 

 margin of the wing, where it becomes fainter. 



The fourth band is apical, fairl}- wide, its proximal edge a 

 straight line, cutting the ist posterior cell at two-thirds its length 

 from the base. Halteres with narrow black stem, the clubs with 

 conspicuous chalk-white tips. 



