MELITTIA. — SYNTOMIS. 43 



DESCRIPTIONS OF THE NEW SPECIES. 



iEGEEIID^. 



Melittia dorsatiformis. (Plate CXXXIX. fig. 21.) 



Expanse l-j^^ inch. 



Male. IMargins and veins black ; apical border very narrow, speckled with a few purple- 

 grey scales; apical transparent area very large and nearly round, traversed by four veins and 

 partly by the subcostal upper uervule ; basal area traversed by median vein only; cilia of 

 both wings brown ; abdominal margin of hind wing fringed with golden hairs : head and 

 antenniB black, the latter golden brown below ; palpi white in front, black on sides and 

 behind; thorax black in front, with a steel-blue collar, hind part golden yellow ; abdomen 

 black above, with narrow white segmental bands and golden hairs, beneath yellow ; fore legs 

 black, coxa white, femur and tibia golden in front ; mid-legs black, coxa white in front, femur 

 with two steel-blue bands, tibia clothed with golden hairs behind ; hind legs, coxa black, with 

 golden hairs behind, femur golden chestnut with long whitish hairs behind, tibia clothed with 

 long black hairs, a few golden-brown and white ones near the base, and some steel-blue scales 

 at the joint. 



Nearest to M. nepcha, Moore, from which it differs principally in the larger and rounder 

 apical area and the colour of the legs. 



This species is so excellent a mimic of the common Indian Rock-Bee [Apis dorsata), that 

 the only difference a close observer can detect when they are feeding at the same flower is the 

 " paddling " of the thick hind legs of the moth to steady itself before the flower. 



ZYGiENID^. 



Syntomis gelatina. (Plate CXXXIX. fig. 1.) 



Expanse 1 inch. 



female. Head, thorax, and abdomen brownish black ; collar, first and fifth segments of 

 abdomen orange, two lateral spots on pectus and three on each side of abdomen of the same 

 colour ; antenna3 black, white-tipped above ; legs black, mid and hind pairs with a white band 

 on the tibia : wings brownish black, the hyaline areas slightly ochreous with metallic 

 reflections ; these areas as in S. libera, Walker, but larger in proportion, especially on the 

 hind wing, which has only a naiTow black border. 



Near S. cvpreipennis , Butler, from which it chiefly differs in having no white spot on 

 the frons. Also near /S. godart't, Bois., the apical hyaline spots of the fore wing smaller and 

 placed further from the apex, and also lacking the white frons of that species. 



