MELITHREPTUS. 299 



These flies especially frequent sweet-scented flowers ; their 

 movements are slow. The yellow marks on the abdomen are 

 very variable. The larvae feed on Aphides. 



1. scriptus, L.fn.i. 1091(1749); Fb.; LI.; Mg. ; Mq.; Lw. ; Ztt.- 



gemmatus, Spl. ? mentkastri var., Fin. ^Eneus, capite antennis tho- 

 racis lateribus scutelloque flavis, peristomate puncto nigro, alls sub- 

 cinereis, abdomine fasciis quatuor flams prima et quartet subinterntptis, 

 pedibus flams. Long. 4-5 ; alar. 7-8 lin. 



jEneous. Head, antenna, sides of the thorax, and scutellum yellow. 

 Peristoma with a black dot. Maxillae nearly as long as the palpi. Palpi 

 subclavate, half the length of the labium. Wings slightly grey. Hal- 

 teres tawny. Abdomen with four yellow bands. Legs yellow. Male. 

 Bands of the abdomen broad ; first sometimes interrupted ; second and 

 third rarely interrupted ; third slightly notched ; fourth deeply notched, 

 intersected by a black stripe. Fern. Bands narrow ; third notched ; fourth 

 irregular and interrupted. 



Generally distributed. (E. S. I.) 



2. menthastri, L. s. n. ii. 987. 53 (1767); Dg.; Fb.; Spl. ; 

 Shr. ; Rsi. ; LI. ; Fin. ; Mg. ; Mq. ; Ztt. ^Eneus, capite antennis 

 thoracis lateribus scutelloque flavis, epistomate linea media fusca, alls 

 subcinereis, abdomine fasciis quatuor Jlavis interrupts secunda Integra, 

 pedibus flavis. Long. 3^-4 ; alar. 6-7 lin. 



.ZEneous. Head, antennae, sides of the thorax, and scutellum yellow. 

 Epistoma icith a brown stripe. Wings slightly grey. Halteres tawny. 

 Abdomen with four luteous bands. Legs yellow. Male. Bands broad, 

 more or less interrupted and shortened ; very rarely entire ; fourth more 

 or less marked with black. Femora rarely black towards the base. Fern. 

 Bands narrow, interrupted, sometimes entire ; hind borders of the segments 

 edged with yellow. 



Generally distributed. (E. S. I.) 



3.taeniatus, Mg. ! zw. iii. 325. 71.pl. 30. f. 55(1822); Mq.; Lw. ; 

 Ztt. menthastri var., Fin. ^Eneus, capite thoracis lateribus scutello- 

 que flavis, antennis fulvis, alis sublimpidis, abdomine fasciis quatuor 

 luteis leviter emarginatis, pedibus flavis ; Mas. peristomatis margine an- 

 guste nigro, femoribus basi nigris ; Fcem. peristomate puncto nigro. Long. 

 4 ; alar. 6 lin. 



Metallic green. Head, scutellum, and sides of thorax yellow. An- 

 tennaa tawny. Wings almost colourless. Halteres luteous. Abdomen 

 with four broad entire luteous bands ; the fourth occupying the whole 

 of the last segment, slightly spotted with black. Legs yellow. Male. 

 Fore border of the peristoma with a narrow black baud. Femora black 

 toicards the base. Fem^. Peristoma with a black dot. 



Generally distributed. (E. S. I.) 



