DIPXEKOUS FAMILY PANTOPHTHALMIDiE. 555 



niithor as lihaphiorhynchus rothschildi, for which a new genus is 

 erected in tlie present paper {cf. p. 596). 



Tuining to the Asilidse, we find in this enormous family a wide 

 range in size, and a considerable nmnber of species Avhich, though 

 smaller than the larger examples of the genus Mi/das such as 

 that just mentioned, are yet of exceptional dimensions, some of the 

 largest forms being met with, for example, in the genera Fi-o- 

 agonistes, Alcivius, Phellus, Blepharotes, Ilyperechia, and Frocta- 

 canthus. A male belonging to an undescribed species of 

 Froagonistes from Madagascar, 41 mm. (between \^ and 1| inch) 

 in length, has a wing-expanse of 80 mm. (between 3 and 

 3| inches); while, owing to the extraordinary length of the hind 

 legs, the space from the tips of these, when outstretched, to those 

 of the similarly extended front legs measures at least 82'5 mm. 

 (3^ inches). The slender-bodied Alcimus hrevipennis Ric, fron.' 

 Natal, has in the female sex a length of 44 mm. (just under 

 1| inch), though its wing-expanse amounts only to 55 mm. 

 (between 2 and 2| inches). Among the much more stoutly built 

 representatives of the Australian genus Phellus, a female from 

 South Queensland, belonging to a species as yet undescribed, 

 measures 50 mm. (just under 2 inches) in length inclusive of the 

 ovipositor, and has a wing-expanse of 81 mm. (a little under 

 3| inches). The female of Blepharotes coriarius Wied., from the 

 same i^egion, may measure 42 mm. (between 1| and 1^ inch) in 

 length, and have a wing-expanse of 76 mm. (3 inches). Several 

 of the species of Ilyperechia are bulky-bodied flies of large size, one 

 of the largest being H. (Laphria) consimilis M^ood (syn. Dasyllis 

 usamharm Lichtwardt), of which the type (a female from Natal) 

 is 33 mm. (over 1| inch) long, and has a wing-expanse of 62"5 mm. 

 (very nearly 2^ inches). Among narrow-bodied Asilidse (sub- 

 family Asilinse), an exceptionally large species is Froctacanthus 

 (Asilus) penultimus Walk., the type of which — a male from India 

 — is 40 mm. (over 1^ inch) long, and has a wing-expanse of 

 60 mm. (between 2\ and 2| inches). 



Lastl}^, as regards Pantophthalmidse other than the species 

 already mentioned, the wing-expanse in the case of females 

 belonging to the largest forms such as Fantophihalmus hellardii 

 Bell, may amount to 84'5 mm. (a little over 3^ inches), and the 

 length over all {i.e. including the ovipositor but not the antennae) 

 to 54 mm. (over 2 inches) ; while the broad, flat abdomen may 

 measure 22 mm. (considerably more than | inch) in width at its 

 widest point. In the female sex of certain other species, notably 

 Fantophthalmus tahaninus Thunb., dimensions are often little 

 below those just given. Species of Pantophthalmidpe hoAvever 

 exist, in which, so far as it is at present possible to judge from 

 the limited amount of material available for examination, the 

 same standard of bodily development is not attained ; and on 

 the other hand there are indications that, in some cases at any 

 rate (as, e. g. in F. tahaninus), the average size of the males is 

 considerably less than that of the females. 



