278 



Polygonum plants. This species was first bred by Ratzebure 

 from tlie larva of some Syrphtis fly in Saxony ; subsequently 

 Dr. Giraud raised it (Ann. Soc. Ent. France, 1877, p. 408) from 

 Syrphvs lalteatus and another species from Pijriza noctiluca and 

 its association with these flies, which prey upon APHLDID^, was 

 suggested bv Gravenhoret, who first took it among them. It has 

 been reported to have been bred from the phytophagous beetle, 

 Adimonia rustica. Scball., and from Tortrices, but probably in 

 error. 



I have examined, in the British Museum, the type of Scolobates 

 varipts, Smith, described from a single female captured by Prof. 

 Button at Otago in New Zealand, and find that it is entirely 

 synonymous. Hudson (Entom. 1884, p. 171) records this species 

 as preving upon the larvae of SyrpJws ortas, Walk. ; and this is 

 repeated by Smith (E. M. M. 1900, p. 161), who remarks upon 

 its frequency upon the castor-oil plant (Ricimts communis), the 

 fluid of which it eagerly assimilates. For an account of its life- 

 history, cf. G. Y. Hudson, ' An Elementary Manual of New 

 Zealand Entomology,' London, 1892, p. 39, pi. iii, fig. 8, 



195. Bassus varicoxa, Thorns. 



Basstis albosifliiatits, vnr. 1, Gravenhorst. Ichu. Eur. iii, 1829,. 

 p. 344 (?)(?); var. 3, Holmgren, Sv. Ak. Handl. 1855, p. .'354. 

 Batsns varicoxa, Thomson, Opusc. Ent. xiv, 1890, p. 1640 ( $ ). 



This species differs very little from B. multicolor, excepting in 

 coloi-ation. The abdomen is entirely black, with at most the 

 incisures pale, the anterior or intermediate coxae are partly and 

 the whole of the hind coxae are black, the hind tibiae are broadly 

 white in the centre and quite black (with no rufescence) at both 

 extremities, and the epistoma is white-marked. 



LengtJt 5 millim. 



It is a A*ery common Palaearctic species, closely allied to B. tri- 

 cinctus, Grav. (nemoralis, Holmg.), which differs in its entirely 

 pale coxae and larger size. I have seen a specimen in the Oxford 

 Museum from Westwood's collection, which was captured long 

 ago in " India" by Capt. Boys. 



196. Bassus tricinctus, Grav. 



Bassu* ulbosif/nntus, var. 4, Grnvenhorst, Ichn. Eur. iii, 1829,. 



p.345(cJ). 

 Bassus tricinctHs, Grnvenhurst, op. eft. p. 351 (c?) ; Morley, Trans. 



Ent. Soc. Lond. 1005, p. 425 ( j $ ) ; cf. Brischke, Sc'hr. Nat. 



Ges. Danz. 1878, p 111. 

 Bassus Jlamlineatus, Zetterstedt (nee Grav.), Ins. l^app. i, p. 378, 



excl. 2 et var. 

 Batsns nemorali*, Holmgren, Sv. Ak. Handl. 1855, p. 354 ; Vollen- 



hoven, Pinac. pi. i, tig. 3 ; Thomson, Opusc. Ent. xiv, p. 1409 



W?) 



A distinctly punctate species, with the abdomen not or obso- 



