( XXX ) 



• 



the stomach of Rhinoceros hicornis during his Kilimanjaro- 

 Meru Expedition in 1905-6. Professor Sjostedt had managed 

 to breed a single imago, and it was a wonderful Salius-\\kQ 

 insect, blue-black with orange legs like its model — large, but 

 with something of the slender build of a Fossor. Professor 

 Sjostedt had recently published an interesting paper on the 

 CEstridx of his expedition (Konigl. Schwedisch. Acad. Wissen- 

 schaft., Uppsala 1908, 10. Diptera, 2. GEstridaj, p. 11). In this 

 memoir he had described and figured the species as Spathicera 

 meruensis In addition to this species, known in larval pupal 

 and perfect states, two other species had been named from 

 larvje found in the digestive tract of the same mammal : — 

 Spathicera (Gyrostigma) covjungens, Enderl., and S. {G.) 

 rhinocerontis hicornis, Brauer — neither known in any later 

 stage. Up to the present time no observation had been 

 recorded of any Qj]strid in the perfect state associated with 

 or following llhinoceros hicornis. But now only a few days 

 ago the speaker had received a letter from Mr. S. A. Neave, 

 M.A., B.Sc, F.E.S., from N.E. Rhodesia, describing what 

 was evidently a fly of the genus Spathicera, as persistently 

 following R. hicornis in that district. He reproduced the 

 account in Mr. Neave's own words : — 



" Upper LuanguHi Valley, 



''Feb. 20, 1908. 



" The other day I shot a fine Bull Rhinoceros. It was 

 accompanied by three very large and extraordinary flies. 

 They refused to leave its carcase, and were easily caught 

 by hand, but I hesitated some time before doing so, as they 

 have a marvellous resemblance to the large blue-black, orange- 

 legged Hymenoptera which are so common throughout this 

 country. I wonder if they are a known species? I suppose 

 they must be as they are quite the most striking-looking both 

 in colour and size that I think I have ever seen amongst 

 Diptera. I am sorry to say that I was unable to ascertain 

 what was the nature of their association with the Rhino." 



Professor Poulton said that it was extremely satisfactory 

 that Mr. Neave had now been able for the first time to put on 

 record the association of a fly of the genus Spathicera with 

 Rliinoceros hicornis. 



