326 Ml 1- !'-• Austen on the Synonyvty and 



visible from above nearly half as long as its (li.xtance from the 

 frontal J infernasab much shorter than the praefrontals ; 

 frontal once and a half as long as broad, longer than its 

 distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parictals ; 

 nasal divided, in contact with the prreicular; two post- 

 oculars, lower very small, upper in contact with the fifth and 

 sixth upper labials; a single temporal; seven upper labials, 

 third and fourth entering the eyn, sixth largest and forming 

 a long suture with the parietal ; first lower labial in contact 

 with its fellow behind the symphysial ; two pairs of chin- 

 shields, posterior longer. Scal.ts in 15 rows. Ventrals 145; 

 anal entire ; subcaudals 48. Snout and upper parts of body 

 blac-kisli, upper lip and back of head yellowish, lower parts 

 yell >wish white. 



Total length 235 mm.; tail 40. 



A single female specimen from the forest 5 miles inland of 

 Kribi. 



XL. —77(6 Synonymy and Generic Position of certain Species 

 of MuBcidse (sens, lat.) in the Collection of the British 

 Museum, described by the late Francis Walker. liy 

 Eknest E. Austen. 



Although nothing in the shape of general interest can be 

 claimed for the following notes, it is iioped that they may 

 at anv rate ])rove useful to compilers of catalogues who 

 wish to avoid a long list of unidentified Walkerian species, 

 chiefly at the end of the genus Tachina. Even with the 

 types before him the present writer has often found it a 

 matter of great difficulty to assign Walker's species of 

 Muscidie to their proper genera, owing to the fact that the 

 species are almost invarialjly based u|)on single specimens, 

 usuallv in very poor condition. It would have taken far too 

 long to correct the manifold inaccuracies and imperfections 

 of the original descriptions, and in the majority of eases no 

 attempt has been made to do so. As j)roving that Walker 

 described the Sj>ecirnen, and not the species^ the characters of 

 whieli he was generally incapable of grasping, it may be 

 mentioned that he is responsible for no fewer than eleven 

 synonvms of the well-known Eufachina rusticn, Mg., the 

 description in every case being based upon a single 

 specimen. 



The present paper contains but a first instalment of notes 

 upon Walker's species of Muscidie, since it is hoped to deal 

 with other species in a similar manner at a later date. 



