On the Mask-Rat of the Antilles. 385 



median suture on the thorax, and for a peculiar venation of 

 the wings. 



The family Hippoboscidge is repre^entei in England by 

 six genera, and it is impossible to place tliis insect in any ona 

 of them. I therefore propose, till a fitting genus has been 

 found for it, provisionally to call it Hippobosca tasmanica. 

 I here give a figure of the insect seen dorsally and showing 

 the venation of the wings. 



The species may be briefly characterized as follows : — 



Hippobosca tasmanica, sp. n., J or ? . 



Head broad and flat. Viewed laterally it has a ratlier 

 pointed crown. No hair on eyes. Antennse sunk in cavities ; 

 a h\Y short hairs on them, but no arista. Proboscis of usual 

 Hippobosca type, with pronounced palpi. A long bristle on 

 each side of the mouth, pointing downwards like a tusk. 



Thorax leathery, light brown ; has a spined tubercle on 

 each shoulder. Suture very marked — a median suture on 

 the anterior portion of the thorax ; starting from the posterior 

 side of the transverse suture, it bisects it at right angles. 

 No tegulffi (?). Ilalttres appear to have lost their knobs, but 

 owing to the condition of specimens nothing certain can be 

 said on these two points. 



Abdomen darker in colour than thorax, short and stout. 



Wings very long, with characteristic venation. 



Legs. Hind pair long and fringed with fine long pubes- 

 cence; apical setse on tibiee. Middle legs shorter, tarsi 

 reduced in size. Fore legs with stout femora. 



No characters to distinguish sex made out. 



Length of body 5 millira., or to extremity of wing 8 millim. 



Hab. Tasmania ; parasitic on the wallaby {Macropas 

 rujicollis) . 



LIV. — The Musk- Rat of the Antilles (Mus pilorides) as 

 Type of a very distinct Gemis (Megalomys, Trt.) under the 

 new Generic Same Moschomys. By Dr. E. L. TeOUESSAKT, 

 C. J\l. Zool. Soc. of Lond. (in Paris). 



I. — When in 1881* I created the genus Megalomys fur the 

 " Ilat musque (Pilori) " of Rochefort ( J/</s j;<7o/'iV/e.s, Des- 

 marest, 1826) 1 regarded this type simply as a subgenus of 



* 'Le Natiu-aliste,' no. 45, p. 5 (1881) ; Ann. Sc. Nat., Zool. xi.?. l>-85, 

 article 5, p. 13, pi. i. 

 Ajin. & Mag. N. IlisL Ser. 7. Vol. xi. 28 



