BOMBYLIUS. 267 



The above description is compiled from Verrall's in his 'British 

 Flies.' Typical specimens occur in the Himalayas in April and 

 May, with others exhibiting minor variations, and the species is 

 not at all uncommon in the Simla Hills. 



208. Bombylius erectus, Brun. 



Bombylius erectus, Brunetti, Rec. Ind. Mas. iii, p. 480, pi. xii, 

 tig. 27 (1909). 



8 $ • Head : frons covered with short bright yellow hairs, 

 with two arched rows of stiff black bristles, one just above, the 

 other just below, the antennae, and reaching from eye to eye; sides 

 of face with rather long, silky, cream-coloured hair ; lower part of 

 face light grey, with long snow-white hair ; mouth-border reddish ; 

 antennae black ; back of head with yellow hairs ; eyes bare, dis- 

 tinctly excavated behind in the middle. Thorax cinereous black, 

 with (in semi-denuded condition) traces of a thick yellow pile, an 

 elongated bunch of strong black bristles at the side, in front of 

 the wings ; sides of thorax with long greyish-white hairs, and 

 yellowish hairs immediately below the wings. Scutellum ferrugi- 

 nous, black at base, with a row of strong black bristles round the 

 posterior edge, with yellow hairs below it ; dorsum with yellow 

 bail's. Abdomen apparently blackish brown, thickly clothed with 

 yellowish and whitish hairs, Which are generally yellowish on the 

 basal segments and apical one, and generally whitish on the others, 

 but variable ; sides of 3rd and 4th segments with thick tufts of 

 white hairs, and the sides of the 5th segment with a tuft of black 

 hairs, posterior borders of 2nd and subsequent segments each 

 with a row of closely-placed, black, strong, erect spines, forming 

 two arcs when viewed from behind ; venter blackish, dorsum of 

 segment with white pile, some black spines towards the tip. 

 Legs blackish brown, with small spines and a silvery sheen seen 

 in certain lights. Wings absolutely clear, extreme base slightly 

 tawny, a small row of black bristles at base of costa ; tegulae pale 

 yellow, with a narrow fringe of yellow hairs; halteres light 

 brown. 



Length, 8-12 mm. 



Described from thirteen 8 8 and twelve $ $ from Bangalore. 



Types in the Indian Museum collection ; co-types in the British 

 Museum and my collection. 



209. Bombylius maculatus, F. 



Bombylius maculatus, Fabricius, Svst. Ent. p. 803(1775) ; Wiede- 

 mann, Auss. Zweifl. i, p. 342 (1828). 



8 $ . Head in 8 black ; eyes contiguous for nearly one-third 

 the distance from vertex to antennas, leaving a rather large 

 vertical triangle bearing a few black hairs ; the ocelli large, red, 

 well separated ; frons with elongate white or yellowish-white 

 scales ; face clothed with long snow-white bristly hairs ; antennae 



