1889.] 379 



oak, and sallow, with a few firs and forest trees, and furze, heather, 

 and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtilhis) in the open spaces. In recording 

 an insect as a new British species, I have been guided by the list of 

 British Diptera published by Mr. G. H. Verrall last year. 



Allocotoceea pulchella, Curt. 



One $ . This insect puzzled me entirely, and was referred to Mr. Verrall, who 

 says that he thinks it is the first female ever taken ; he states that about 1837 Curtis 

 described and figured Leia pulchella; next, Walker, in 1856 (Ins. Br. Dipt., iii), 

 noticed it under the same name; then nothing more was heard of it until 1885, 

 when it was re-described by Dziedzieki as Eurycera flava ; in the following year, 

 Mik pointed out that the genus Eurycera was pre-occupied and proposed Allocoto- 

 cera. The specimen referred to was taken on July 22nd, 1888. 



Amalopis (Limnobia) occulta, Meig. 



This fly was first taken in England by Mr. Verrall, during a visit to me, in 

 September, 1887, and was mentioned by him in the Ent. Mo. Mag., vol. xxiv, p. 111. 

 I took it again in large numbers in the following May, so that it appears to be 

 double-brooded ; it only occurs on one damp bank over an area of a few square 

 yards. 



Chilosia mutabilis, Fin. 



One pair. The male taken in July, and the female in June, 1888 ; this insect 

 is given in italics in Mr. Verrall's list, implying that it is doubtfully British. 



Syrphus nitens, Zett. 

 One 3 only* taken on July 24th, 1887 ; this insect is inserted with a ? in 

 Mr. Verrall's list. 



Syrphus excisus, Zett. 

 Two $ s taken in July, 1887, one ? in July, 1888. This fly is not included in 

 Mr. Verrall's list, but my specimens have been referred to him, and he believes 

 them to belong to this species. 



Eristalis cryptarum, F. 



One pair, taken on May 22nd of this year; Major Yerbury, R.A., has also 

 shown me another pair taken here by him about the same date. Given in italics in 

 Mr. Verrall's list. 



Sericomyia LAPPOKA, L. 



Up to the present year, I have only taken one specimen, but this year some 

 twenty or thirty have been taken here by Major Yerbury and myself. 



Theria mttscaria, Meig. 

 One pair ; the ? in July, 1887, the $ in June, 1888. The ? was sent to Dr. 

 Meade, who mentioned it in the Ent. Mo. Mag., xxv, p. 27. This fly is new to 

 Britain, and these two are, I believe, the only recorded specimens ; it appears to be 

 widely dispersed on the continent, though everywhere rare. 



Conops STRIGATCJS, Meig. 



One pair. The $ taken August 27th, 1887, the ? , August 28th, 1888. In 



vol. i of the Insect. Brit. Diptera, Walker says, in reference to this species : " A 



single specimen (male) was found by Alfred Furlong, Esq., near Killarney, in the 



summer of 1850." Mr. Verrall has a male given to him by Air. D'Orville, of Exeter. 



Erme Wood, Ivybridge, 



S. Devon : July 2,1th, 1889. 



