GLOSSIXA PALPALIS: ABDOMEN AND LEGS. 73 



defined spot on the post-alar callus also. Pleurce cinereous, a 

 more or less distinct brown patch in the centre of the mesopleura. 

 Scutellum cinereous at the base, yellowish towards the tip and 

 along the margin, the usual brown patch on each side of the 

 median line more or less conspicuous. 



In dark specimens the markings on the dorsum of the thorax 

 become confluent to such an extent that the dorsum appears 

 almost wholly brown, the bluish-gray or cinereous ground colour 

 being scarcely visible except in front on either side of the 

 confluent ad-median sti'ipes. 



Abdomen dark brown ; first segment and a median triangular 

 area on the second (its base resting on the front and its apex on 

 the hind margin of the second segment) buff-coloured or cinereous, 

 the pale triangle continued backwards as a narrow, more or less 

 well-defined median stripe, usually reaching at least as far as the 

 hind margin of the fifth segment ; lateral margins of the segments 

 from the second onwards cinereous or buff-coloured, expanded on 

 the ajDical angles into triangular markings ; extreme hind 

 margins of the segments from the second to the sixth usually 

 narrowly pale or cinereous ; seventh segment, as also the hypo- 

 pygium in the ^ , entirely cinereous. 



In a very dark ^ from Asaba, R. Niger (Dr. W. H. Crosse), 

 the pale triangle on the second segment is but faintly indicated, 

 and the remainder of the upper surface (with the exception of 

 the cinereous lateral triangles which, since the lateral margins 

 are turned down, cannot be seen from above) is wholly dark 

 l)rown, the pale median stripe and hind margins to the segments 

 being wanting. 



Legs. — Coxte yellowish cinereous ; femora cinereous to cine- 

 reous-brown (the middle and hind femora on the outside towards 

 the tips sometimes darker than elsewhere), the knees, extreme 

 base of front femora, basal half of the middle femora on the 

 inner side, more or less of the basal half of the hind femora on 

 both inner and outer sides, and usually an ill-defined area at the 

 tij)s of the hind femora also, yellow ; trochanters likewise yellow ; 

 front and middle tibite, and first three joints of front and middle 

 tarsi yellow ; hind tibiae yellow to yellowish-brown ; hind tarsi 

 entirely black above ; last two joints of front and middle tarsi 

 Vjlackish-brown, except their bases, which are more or less 

 distinctly yellow. 



The proportion of yellow on the femora is varial>le, and they 

 are sometimes more yellow than cinereous ; on the other hand, 



