LEPTIS. 125 



basal cells shorter, the anterior cross-vein nearer base of discal 

 cell and anal cell open.* 



Range. Apparently almost world-wide, except Africa and 

 Australia, but one species comes from Algeria. 



Life-Jristory. The larva of Leptis has the mouth-parts well 

 developed, and possesses two-jointed antennae. It is "very active, 

 and is distinguished by having the stigmatic orifice surrounded by 

 four quite equal, quadraugularly placed prominences, and at the 

 other extremity of the body a blackish naked triangular plate ; on 

 the inner side of each of seven of the abdominal segments there 

 is a band of spines" (Cambridge Nat. Hist.). The larvae live in 

 the earth, feeding on cockchafers and other beetles, some, the 

 common European L. tringaria for instance, living on earthworms. 

 Bonche has described the metamorphoses of some European 

 species. The pupa is mummy-like ; the perfect insects occur on 

 trees and shrubs in more or less shady spots, and are generally 

 distributed. 



Table of Species. 



Wings with obvious suffusions ; species not 



nearly unicolorous. 

 Length 6 mm. ; wings pale grey, broadly 



darkened apicipennis, Bruu., p. 125. 



Length 3 mm. ; wings pale brown, with 



clearer parts , . . . discoidalis, Brun., p. 126. 



Wings clear. 



Nearly wholly unicolorous species ; 



length 5 mm unicolor, Brun., p. 126. 



Abdomen with distinct triangular spots 



on 3rd, 4th, and oth segments ; length 



7-8 mm triangulata , sp. n., p. 127. 



85. Leptis apicipennis, Brun. (PI. II, fig. 16.) 



Leptis apicipennis^ Brunetti, llec. Ind. Mus. ii, p. 423, pi. xii ; fig. 7 

 (1909). 



$ . Head : irons and face grey-dusted, with a large, shining 

 black, inverted heart-shaped tubercle in the middle, and extending 

 on each side to the eyes ; ocelli reddish tawny, semi-transparent, 

 situated on the extreme vertex ; first antennal joint bright tawny 

 (rest absent) ; proboscis shining chestnut-brown, bare, grey-dusted 

 at sides ; palpi large, tawny brown, hairy ; occiput semicircular, 

 with a weak irregular fringe of short grey hairs. Thorax brown 

 above, moderately shining, sides dark greyish ; scutellum yellowish 

 tawny, with a very few short irregular black hairs. Abdomen 

 tawny, with scattered pale hairs ; with a wide, irregular, blackish- 

 brown dorsal band, which occupies the whole of the last two or 

 three segments ; and with a blackish irregular line on the sides 



* Kare exceptions are known (as L. ft nebri?, Mg., of Europe), but not 

 amongst Oriental species. 



