.306 THERE OD^E. 



segment (on which they are most numerous) onwards, but tliey 

 are very inconspicuous and easily overlooked ; venter covered with 

 snow-white tomentum and some short white pubescence, the bases 

 of some of the apical segments being blackish. Legs : coxae and 

 femora clothed with snow-white pubescence ; tibia? (except tips) 

 and about basal half of metatarsi brownish yellow ; rest of legs 

 black. Wings pale grey, vitreous, veins towards base yellowish ; 

 halteres pale yellowish. 



Length, J § , 9-11 mm. 



Described from a long series, mostly males, in perfect condition 

 from Pusa, Bengal, where it is apparently to be found from 

 January to July inclusive, it having occurred in abundance on 

 13 and 1 4 . iii . 1909, performing aerial dances between 8 and 9 a.m. 

 In the British Museum from Mahagany and Tiriyai, Ceylon, taken 

 in January, May, June, September, and November {Col. Yerbury) • 

 Castle Kock, 11-26 . x . 1916 (Kemp). 



245. Psilocephala affinis, Krbb. 



Psilocephala affinis, Krober, Ent. Mitteil. Berl. i, p. 254 (1912). 



" S . Near P. ardea, JA,* and P. ceylonica, n. sp. The whole 

 body covered with snow-white pubescence, except for some brown 

 hairs intermixed on the thorax. The 1st and 2nd antennal joints 

 black-haired ; frons and epistome silvery white, extreme margin 

 of frontal triangle deep velvet-black ; antennae deep black, thin ; 

 back of head grey, below nearly white, orbital bristles black. 

 Thorax dark grey, with two whitish longitudinal stripes, between 

 and beside which the colour appears almost brownish ; scutelliim 

 like thorax ; sides of thorax silvery grey. Abdomen very silvery, 

 metallic ; 2nd to 5th segments with snow-white edges ; genital 

 lamella? reddish yellow ; venter similar to upper side, ground- 

 colour black, with hind margins of segments white and with 

 silvery reflection. Femora and tarsi black ; tibiae and extreme 

 base of metatarsi of middle and hind legs yellowish brown ; 

 extreme tips of tibiae more or less blackish brown. Wings 

 absolutely hyaline ; 4th posterior cell closed; halteres with stalk 

 yellowish, knobs white with black base. Length 9-9| mm. 

 Type 8 from Agra, in Vienna Museum." (Krbber.) 



Although the expression metallic as applied to the abdomen 

 seems suggestive of specific distinctness, this insect is almost 

 certainly identical with sequa, Walk. 



Genus PHYCUS, Walk. 



Phycus, Walker, Ins. Saund., Dipt. pt. 1, p. 2 (1850). 



Genotype, Xylophagus canescens, Walk. ; by original designation. 



Head transverse, broader than thorax ; proboscis short, thick, 

 not extending beyond anterior margin of eyes ; palpi shorter than 



* A European species. 



