(aera) 
XXIV. On alarge series of Nycteribiide, parasitic Diptera, 
from Ceylon. By Hueu Scort, B.A. (Cantab). 
Communicated by J. E. Contin, FES. 
[Read November 6th, 1907.] 
THE main object of this paper is to state to what extent 
variation occurs in a series of 100 specimens of Cyclopodia 
sykesi, Westwood. One of the chief difficulties in the study 
of Nycteribiide has arisen from the fact that they are 
usually found only in small numbers, and consequently 
uncertainty as to the limits of species has often arisen. 
For the opportunity to examine the specimens under 
consideration, I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. T. 
Bainbrigge Fletcher, Paymaster of H.M.S. Sealark. They 
were all obtained by him from 11 male specimens of 
Pteropus medius Temminck * at Barberyn Island, off the 
west coast of Ceylon, on February 23rd, 1907. 
The series, consisting of 57 males and 43 females, is 
sufficiently large to enable one to form some opinion of 
the amount of individual variation exhibited by these 
insects. As an example of the difficulty which has arisen - 
in previous cases from the smallness of the number of 
specimens obtained, the following words, written by Dr. 
Enderlein,+ in describing a Cyclopodia from the Maldive 
Islands, may be quoted : “Ob die vorliegenden Verschieden- 
heiten aus individuellen Schwankungen hervorgegangen 
sind, kann ich nicht entscheiden. Dazu wiire ein grosseres 
Material nothwendig.” Dr. De Meijere ¢ also, in describing 
C. horsfieldi and speaking of Westwood’s species of the genus, 
expresses some uncertainty as to whether he is dealing 
with specific, or only with varietal, differences; saying: 
“., . thut sich die Frage auf, ob wir es nicht vielleicht 
mit Varietaten einer Art zu thun haben. Doch ist zur 
Entscheidung dieser Frage zuniichst mehr Material 
nothig.” 
For comparison with these specimens I have had West- 
wood’s original type female of C. sykesi, described by him 
in his paper §; also a male and a female of C. horsjieldt, 
* Pteropus medius (Temminck, Monogr. Mammal. I, 1827, p. 176) 
= Vespertilio gigantea (Briinnich, Dyrene’s Historie, I, 1782, p. 45). 
t+ Arch. Naturg. 67. 1 (1901), p. 176. 
{ Tijdschr. Ent. 42. (1899), p. 157. 
§ Tr. Zool. Soc. London, 1. (1835), p. 275. 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1907.—PART IV. (FEB. 08) 
