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XXIII. Characters of undescrihed Diptera in the Collection 

 of W. W. Saunders, Esq., F.R.S., 5fc. By Francis 

 Walker, Esq., F.L.S., &c. 



[Read February ^od, 1857.] 



BRACHYCERA. 



Fam. STRATIOMID^.. 



Genus Ptilocera, Weid. 



Ptilocera Natalensis ? 



Fcem. — Nigra, capite atro nitente, antennis sub-pectinatis apice 

 albis, thorace vittis duabus srnaragdinis, scutelli spinis duabiis 

 piceis, pectore argenteo, abdoniine vittis quatuor argenteis, 

 pedibus ferrugineis, alis sub-cinereis apices versus sub- 

 obscurioribus, macula costali nigricante, halteribus ferru- 

 gineis apice nigris. 



Ptilocera Natalensis, Gerstacker, Linn. Ent. xl. 334, 3. 



Female. — Black : head deep black, shining ; antennae a little 

 longer than the breadth of the head, minutely pectinated, white at 

 the tips ; thorax with two emerald-green stripes; scutellum with 

 four piceous s])ines ; pectus with silvery tomcntum; abdomen 

 with four stri|'es of silvery tomentum, the middle pair much 

 abbreviated in front ; legs ferruginous, with silvery tomentum ; 

 wings slightly greyish, a little darker towards the tips ; a blackish 

 spot by the middle of the costa ; veins black for half the length, 

 testaceous from thence to the tips ; halteres ferruginous, with 

 black knobs. 



Length of the body 4 lines ; of the wings 8 lines. 



This is probably the female of /-•". Natalensis, which is described 

 as having the wings yellow, blackish at the base. 

 Natal. 



Genus Cyphomyia, VVied. 



Cyphomyia simplex. 



Fcem. — Nigra, capite testaceo, scutelli spinis duabus robustis, 

 pectore albido, abdomine cyaneo, genubus anticis albidis, 



