FLATYPSZA. 



393 



dull dark greyish brown, sometimes with traces of a darker median 

 stripe;* frequently the anterior half in J or whole dorsum in $ 

 with a bluish-white shimmer, especially if viewed from behind ; 

 shoulders sometimes more or less shining; scutellum sometimes 

 more yellowish. The humeri bear three subequal strong bristles 

 or spines ; a few smaller ones above them ; two rows of minute 

 dorso-central bristles are traceable, of which only the anterior two 

 or three and the last two in each row are at all conspicuous, the 

 last of all being by far the strongest; a strong bristle on each 

 posterior corner, generally one or more smaller ones in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the wing-base, and a number of stiff hairs on the 

 dorsum behind the shoulders : scutellum with two pairs of apical 

 bristle*. Abdomen normally dull velvet-black, slightly shining in 

 fresh specimens, bare, except for a little pubescence towards the 

 side-margins; a very narrow — often indistinct or absent — greyish 

 band on anterior margins of 3rd, 4th, and 5th segments. Legs 

 brownish yellow, femora and tibiae more or less dark, especially 

 hind pair, which are sometimes dark brown; hind femora rather 

 shining on inner side ; first three tarsal joints much widened ; 



Fig. 40. — Platypcza argyrogyna, Meij., wing and hind leg. 



hind tarsi in S golden yellow, with a close row of minute 

 black bristles at sides and along hind margins of each segment, 

 giving the impression of being black-edged ; in the 5 the tarsi are 

 brown, except the yellow first two joints. f Wings clear, irides- 

 cent ; 1st vein slightly bisinuate, 3rd nearly straight, ending at 

 wing-tip ; anterior cross-vein before one-fifth of the discal cell ; 

 halteres brownish yellow, clubs more or less dark. 



Length, 2|-3 mm. 



liedescribed from several specimens of both sexes in the Indian 

 Museum, including the types of orientalis and obscura and a named 

 $ 2 sent from Java by de Meij ere. Kurseong, 5000 ft., 4. vii. 

 1908, type J 1 and 2 of obscura (Annandale); Sukna, E. Himalayas, 

 500 ft.', 1. vii. 1908 (Annandale); Almora, Kumaon, 5500 ft., 

 20-21. ix. 1911 (Paiva); Pusa, 11. vii. 1913, 23. viii. 1913, 14. ix. 

 1914; Calcutta, 18. vii. 1908 (Annandale); Bangalore, S. India, 



* According to de Meij ere ; I have not found it so myself. 

 t In my obscura the tarsi are wholly brownish in both sexes. 



