38 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



" 5 . Head black ; a narrow band of creamy yellow scales along 

 the orbital margin, which laterally broadens into a distinct patch ; 

 the rest of the upper surface of head is covered with broad flat scales 

 which vary in colour. If looked at from behind, the central patch 

 looks bronze-green and the scales at the sides blue-green. In one 

 specimen the whole patch is a deep rich blue, while the marginal 

 scales are silver. Immediately above the occipital foramen are a few 

 fawn-coloured upright scales scarcely notched ; a few small bristles 

 are placed on the vertex which look black or purple or even golden 

 brown according to the light. Antennte with the basal joint black, 

 with a silvery tomentum, naked save for a few short white hairs ; the 

 second joint scarcely swollen, light yellow in colour, with a few black 

 spatulate scales on its upper face ; the succeeding joints black with 

 white pubescence ; the verticillate hairs black. Clypeus black, with 

 silvery sheen, notched on either side. Palpi short, not more than 

 one-fifth the length of the proboscis, 4-jointed (?) ; last joint small and 

 nipple-like. First two joints with golden scales at the sides and 

 beneath ; the two last joints are covered with scales which are coppery 

 or rose-purple accordmg to the angle the light strikes them. The 

 proboscis is long, swollen at the base; the scales are purple or coppery. 

 Prothoracic lobes small, thickly covered with broad, flat racquet-shaped 

 scales of a creamy yellow colour, with some light brown bristles. 

 Mesonotum black, thickly clad with spindle-shaped flat scales, which 

 laterally become very broad and blunt-ended, and which in a good 

 light appear of a brilliant metallic green to the naked eye in a fresh 

 specimen. Under a lens the colour varies, peacock blue, bronzy 

 purple and metallic green appearing intermixed, now one colour pre- 

 dominating, now another, as the fly is shifted to different angles. On 

 the anterior margin are some golden scales and numerous golden 

 bristles, and laterally in front, immediately behind the prothoracic 

 lobes, there is a band of metallic rose-purple scales, and beneath this 

 is a triangular patch of creamy yellow scales. The two patches meet 

 in a straight line, but the external edges are convex ; hence with the 

 prothoracic lobe they form a rough ellipse. The upper band is to be 

 seen when looking down upon the mesonotum, and is very ornamental. 

 The scutellum is clad with rather long, flat spatulate scales, which are 

 coppery, bronzy or purple-bronze as the direction of the light varies. 

 There is a tuft of bristles over the root of each wing. Scutellar 

 bristles are brown in colour. The pleurae are a dark, glistening 

 chestnut brown, naked in parts, scaled in other parts with creamy 

 yellow scales. The wings are quite typical ; the costa and first longi- 

 tudinal vein are scaled with metallic rose-purple scales. Legs with 

 the cox» and femora light yellow ; tibia and tarsi much darker ; the 

 coxae, bases and under surface of femora clad with metallic golden 

 scales ; the upper and lateral surfaces of femora and the whole tibia 

 and tarsi of fore leg covered with brilliant metallic scales, varying 

 from coppery-bronze to rose-purple or bronze-purple; there are creamy 

 scales at the apices of all the femora. Mid leg as the fore, except for 

 a band of golden scales at the base of the metatarsus and golden 

 scales covering the penultimate tarsal joint ; tibia and tarsi of hind 

 legs the same as the fore. Ungues equal and simple. Metanotum 

 black. Halteres with pale yellow stems and dark scaled knobs. 



