•'^28 Miss G. Kicardo on 



Tahanus congoiensis, ? , sp. n. 



The following specimens are in the British IMuseum 

 collection : — 



Type (female) and two other females from Wathen, Conoo 

 Free State [Rev. TV. H. Bentley), 1904. 207, and one female 

 from Tumbo, Congo, Nov. 5, 1903 (presented by the Liverpool 

 School of Tropical Medicine). 



A dark brown species with well-marked grey triangular 

 median spots and side spots ; greyish stripes on the brown 

 fliorax, reddish legs, and wings greyish, tinged yellowisii 

 brown round the veins and on the fore border. 



Length 16 mm. 



The specimen from Tumbo measures 18i mm. Tt is 

 distinguislied from Tahanus temperatus, Wlk. (which is 

 ]->robably the same as the South African variety of Tahanus 

 hovmus), by its smaller size and narrower abdomen, the 

 median triangular spot on the second segment is narrower 

 at its base and more oblong in shape, the colour of the 

 abdomen is more largely a uniform dark brown with the side 

 spots small, but fairly distinct. 



Head wider than thorax. Face reddish, densely covered 

 with greyish tomentum, the ground-colour perceptible on the 

 upper part of face and on the subcallus, where the tomentum 

 is also more yellow in colour; the pubescence white, con- 

 sisting of rather longer white hairs in middle of face below 

 the antennae and of shorter ones on the cheeks ; beard white, 

 scanty. Palpi yellow with thick black pubescence, long, 

 wide at the base, tapering to an obtuse point. Antennse dull 

 reddish, black at apex; the first joint large with black 

 ])ubescence; the second small, with black hairs on the upper 

 ])rolongation and outer border ; the third long, wide at the 

 base, with an obtuse tooth. Forehead about six times as long 

 as it is broad, narrower anteriorly, red with brown and yellow 

 tonienlum ; the frontal callus reddish brown, oblong, convex, 

 almost reaching the eyes, continued in a thick line halfway 

 along the forehead. Eyes with no markings. Thorax 

 brownish with two stripes of grey tomentum continued to the 

 base of the thorax, grey at sides and on the anterior border, 

 the pubescence of black rather long hairs, with traces of 

 some yellow pubescence ; the sides of thorax more red, with 

 black pubescence ; breast red, witli grey tomentum and black 

 ])ubescence and some white hairs ; tiie scutellum reddish, with 

 l)lack and yellowish pubescence and traces of grey tomentum. 

 Abdomen brownish, appearing reddish brown on the second 

 segment; the first segment covered with grey tomentum on 



