92 PERCY SLADEN TRUST EXPEDITION 



Pins coast marsh)"; "Mahe, Mare aux Cochons, 1500 feet. From swampy place with 

 half dried up pools amongst dead Pandanus Hornei leaves. Caught in daytime." 



Quite a distinct small species which, however, bears a strong resemblance to 

 Pseudoficalhia nepenthes. The marked difference in the venation can, however, be seen 

 by comparing the photos of the wings. Probably it breeds in water collected in the 

 bases of Pandanus leaves. 



There is some colour variation in the series. In some the abdominal banding is 

 very faint, frequently due to partial scale denudation, however, and in others the 

 metanotum varies, two marked varieties being the following : — 



Variety I. Metanotum all ochreous, the black knobs of the halteres showing as 

 two black sjDots over it. 



Variety II. Metanotum all black, abdomen with only trace of banding. 



It comes very near Pseudoficalhia nigripes, Theobald (Monog. Culicid. iv. 578) which 

 I placed in error in the genus Ficalhia, Theob. It can be told at once from it by the long 

 dark thoracic scales. 



9. Pseudoficalhia nepenthes, nov. sp. (Plate 4, figs. 5, 6 and Text-figs. 11, 12). 



Head black, thorax bright ochreous with indistinct dark lines and three black spots 

 on the pale scutellum ; metanotum pale ochreous. Abdomen black with basal white bands, 



Pseudoficalhia nepenthes, nov. sp., ? ; wing. 



except on the first and second segments. Legs bronzy black, unhanded. Proboscis black, 

 slightly swollen in $ towards the apex ; palpi and antennae black. Wings with dark 

 veins. 



$. Head clothed with flat black scales and black upright forked scales and black 

 chsetse ; clypeus and proboscis black, the latter swollen towards the apex ; palpi very 

 smaU, black ; antennae deep brown, basal segment black, a few small black flat scales. 

 Eyes violet. Thorax bright ochreous with scattered long thin black scales and long black 

 bristles which have golden apices in certain lights ; on the integument can be seen three 

 slightly darker parallel longitudinal lines ; scutellum bright ochreous with three patches 

 of small flat black scales, forming three marked dark spots ; posterior border bristles black, 

 four large ones to the mid lobe, three large and some smaller ones to the lateral lobes. 

 Metanotum bright ochreous ; pleurae bright ochreous. 



Abdomen black, the segments except the first and second with basal white bands ; 

 posterior border bristles golden and brown, many golden bristles apically ; venter black 

 and white banded. 



