SYEITTA. 105 



2 (3) Hind femora with two or three other 



smaller spines on the basal half beyond 



the very strong basal spine gjtm*<jera f Loew. 



3 (2) Hind femora without any spine beyond 



the basal one aculeipes, Schin. 



4 (1) Vena spuria as distinct as usual and black 



like the other veins ; hind femora without 

 basal spine or with a much shorter one ; 

 yellow abdominal bands of male inter- 

 rupted in the middle, at least the first ; 

 third antennal joint entirely of a pale 

 yellow colour ; ventral tuft less distinct. 



5 (10) Hind tibiae of the male simple ; hind femora 



in both sexes not strongly armed towards 

 the middle. 



6 (7) Hind femora pale yellow with black tips, 



and provided with a rather strong basal 

 spine ; pollen on the thorax in the female 

 more yellow and present also in front of 

 the scutellum bulbus, Walk. 



7 (6) Hind femora dark reddish, brown, or black, 



and without strong basal spine ; thoracic 

 yollen grey or whitish, entirely wanting 

 in front of the scutellum. 



8 (9) Smaller species with hyaline wings; yellow 



colour on the female abdomen more ex- 

 tensive ; hind femora mostly black, ciliated 

 and toothed below on the basal half .... fctsciata, Wied. 



9 (8) Species of larger size, with slightly iufus- 



cated wiugrs ; yellow colour in the female 

 less extensive ; hind femora reddish brown, 

 not ciliate below, and nearly smooth on 



the basal half stigmatica, Loew. 



10 (5) Hind tibiae of male beyond middle with a 

 strong tubercle and a deep notch ; hind 

 femora in both sexes of a reddish colour 

 with a black apex, with the strongest 

 armature towards the middle austeni, sp. n. 



111. Syritta spinigera, Loew (1848). 



This species is the type of a small but well-defined group, the 

 members of which are distinguished by the absence of the vena 

 spuria, a character overlooked by Loew and pointed out for the first 

 time by Thomson. All the other species of this group, and also 

 the following, are perhaps only colour- varieties, such as armipes, 

 Thorns., spinigerelfa, Thorns., vitripennis, Bigot, and perhaps 

 nigricomiii Macq., the latter name having priority ; since the 

 abdomen of spiniyera is often entirely yellow at the end, Loew's 

 name may be a synonym otjlavivcnfris, Macq. 



There are two males and three females from Howick, Natal 

 ( J. P. Creyoe), and a female from Johannesburg, Transvaal (A. J. 

 Choi ml ey}. 



