258 MB. G. TI. YEEEAL ON A NEW GENUS 



watcliing, it was suggested to me that figures of these same, 

 though not new to entomologists, might nevertheless be desira- 

 ble to those interested in the sabjeet. In the Plate each figure 

 is considerably enlarged, but the actual dimension is expressed 

 by scale alongside. 



EXPLAIS'ATION OF PLATE XVH. 



Fig. 1. PolT/erffus rufescens. 



2. Formica sanguinea. 



3. fusca. 



Fig. 4. Atta Barbara (worker major). 



5. Do. (worker minor) 



6. Strongylognathus testaceios. 



Description of a new Grenus and Species of Phoridse parasitic on 

 Ants. By Gr. H. Verbal, Esq., Memb. Entom. Soc. Commu- 

 nicated by Sir John Lubbock, Bart., P.L.S., &c. 



[Eead February 1, 1877.] 



Thbough my friend Mr. Frederick Smith, of the British Museum, 

 Sir John Lubbock has kindly forwarded for my examination and 

 determination certain specimens of Dipterous insects said to 

 have been found parasitic on species of ants, which latter he 

 has been studying with care as to their habits. Having given 

 considerable attention to the family Phoridae, I was agreeably 

 surprised to find the parasitic specimens to be forms new to 

 science. One of these is a new species of the genus Fhora ; the 

 other I regard as possessing characters sid generis, and hence 

 define it under the generic title PlatypTiora, at the same time 

 bestowing on the species the name of the discoverer, who worthily 

 pursues entomological researches, spite of many pressing public 

 engagements. 



The subjoined descriptions embrace the diagnostic peculiarities 

 of the insects in question. 



Phoba FORMiCARUM, n. sp. Nigro-cinevea, fronte setosa, caniculata ; 

 antennis mediocribus, cinereis ; palpis magnis, flavis ; halteribus fla- 

 vidis ; pedibus totis pallide flavis, inermibus, tibiis intermediis unical- 

 caratis, posticis modice dilatatis ; alis subhyalinis, nerve secundo 

 simplici, nervulis vix undulatis. Long, vix | lin. 



Frons broad, grey, bristly, two large bristles being close to the eye-mar- 

 gin ; down the centre is a deep impressed channel, which at its lower 



