Australia and the Fiji Islands, 215 



the sidfcs, pubescence elsewhere black ; vmderside is iden- 

 tical, l)ut the ^rey bands are present on every segment for 

 their wliole width. J^egs black, the fore coxte with whitish 

 tonientura and pubescence. Wings blackish brown, darkest 

 on the fore border in the submarginal cells, becoming paler 

 at apex and on posterior border, and almost clear in the 

 basal, anal, and axillary cells ; stigma blackish ; veins brown. 

 It is distinguished from Silvius nigripennis by the pale 

 ba>^e of wing, and by the shape of the frontal callus and 

 forehead. 



Si/vius niger, $ , sp. n. 



Type (female) from Helensburgh, New South Wales, 

 9.3.15. Was resting on branch of low shrub; when dis- 

 turbed it circled round my head, evidently seeking to bite 

 (E. ir, F.). 



A small robust black species, with a broad abdomen and 

 clear wing>5. Eyes slightly pubescent. Antennae and palpi 

 dull reddish yellow. Legs blackish. 



Length 1 ] mm. 



Face covered with bi'ownish tomentum, paler on cheeks, 

 and with some dark hairs in the centre; on the cheeks they 

 are much thicker and long, increasing in length as they 

 attain the bases of cheeks. Beard same colour. Paljn 

 reddish yellow, curved on their upper edges, which are 

 clothed with a distinct fringe of black hairs, the lower 

 edges have a similar fringe; they are somewhat stout at 

 base, ending in an obtuse point. Antenn(B rather a darker 

 shade than the palpi, the first two joints with black hairs, 

 the third joint with a very few at the base and on the 

 extreme tip; the tooth represented by an obtuse angle. 

 Forehead same colour as face, Avith black puhescence, 

 pai-allel ; the frontal callus dark brown, very narrow, keel- 

 like. Ocelli very distinct. Thorax sepia, with two hroad 

 grey tomentose stripes and grey sides ; a few scattered white 

 liairs on dorsum ; long black hairs on the grey tomentose 

 shoulders. Sautellum a little darker. Abdomen blackish, 

 grey tomentum on the first segment; on the second, third, 

 and fourth segments appear short white hairs on the sides 

 and in the middle, not, however, joining each other to form 

 a baud; pubescence elsewhere black; segmentations with 

 traces of grey tomentum ; underside black with very narrow 

 white-haired segmentations. Legs black ; knees reddish 

 yellow, the tibise obscurely so ; pubescence black. Wings 

 clear, veins yellowish brown, stigma yellowish. 



