SOOTT— MALLOPHAGA, APHANIPTERA, AND DIPl^ERA PUPIPARA 163 



in the neighbouring islands of Assumption, Cosmoledo, or Astove. Fryer tells me that 

 he examined 12 — 16 specimens of this bat for Nycteribiidse, but found none, which is 

 remarkable, since in Ceylon and the East Indies bats of this genus appear often to harbour 

 these parasites. The single species of Nycteribiidse collected was taken in Assumption 

 Island on a wide-ranging bat, Taphozous mauritianus. The following particulars of its 

 capture have been given me. The bats were clinging to the stem of a big coconut-palm 

 — the only big one in the island — just below the crown of leaves. A boy was sent up the 

 tree, but though it was broad daylight the bats were very active and dodged him round 

 the trunk. Two of them were, however, killed with a stick, and on these were found the 

 18 specimens of the Nycteribiid, which were also very active. 



Of the other family of Dipterous bat-parasites, the Streblidae, none were obtained in 

 any of the islands visited by the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition, nor have any been 

 previously recorded therefrom. 



Nyctbribia, Latreille. Subgenus Acrocholidia (Kolenati). 



The single species belongs to this genus and subgenus : that is, it is entirely without 

 eyes ; its tibiae are not ringed, nor are they broad and flattened ; the anal segment of 

 the $ is without dorsal appendages. 



This Nycteribiid is quite distinct from any species of which I have seen named 

 specimens, and it does not agree with any published description. It is therefore described 

 here as new, and dedicated to its finder under the name Nycterihia [Acrocholidia) fryeri. 

 It has not been possible for me to see the types or named specimens of a number of species 

 of the subgenus. Had this been possible, it would certainly have been more satisfactory 

 to have had examples of all species for comparison, particularly as the descriptions in some 

 cases are far from complete. According to Speiser's descriptions (Arch. Naturg., 67.1.1901, 

 pp. 31 — 36) both N. [A.) stichotricha Speiser from Nias Island, and N. (A.) hellardii 

 Rondani from South America, seem to have certain points of resemblance with N. [A.) 

 fryeri, but both appear to differ from it in other respects. The most striking feature of 

 N. (^A.) fryeri lies in the form of the dorsal abdominal segments of the $ ; and in no 

 description have I found reference to anything like its remarkable two-processed 2nd 

 tergite. 



In any case, N. (A.) fryeri is not confined to the region where it was found by Fryer, 

 since there is in the British Museum an old, dried (and previously unnamed) $ specimen, 

 undoubtedly referable to this species, from the widely remote island of Labuan. 



5. Nycterihia (Acrocholidia) fryeri, sp. nov. (figs. 1 — 4). 



Length of body (without head) between 2^ and 2^ mm. Colour of chitinous parts 

 yellowish, abdomen of $ darker. Head with about 6 bristles on the vertex in front 

 (the complete absence of eyes has been demonstrated by mounting the head of a specimen 

 in balsam and examining it under a high power). Thorax beneath (fig. 2) a little broader 

 than long : of three specimens (preserved in spirit) in which its dimensions were measured 

 with the help of a drawing apparatus, in 1 $ the breadth is about 1^ times the length, 

 in 2 $ it appears about 1^ times the length : the median longitudinal line is slightly 



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