218 Tra nsactions . — Zoology . 



Art. XXVII. — Description of a new Dipterous Insect. By G. Vernon Hudson. 



Communicated by T. W. Kirk. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 9th December, 1882.] 



This species is parasitic in the common magpie moth (Nyctmera annulata) ; 



it makes its way out of the insect when in pupa by boring a hole in the 



hard shell before turning ; the pupa of the fly is dark-brown, with scarcely 



any trace of articulations ; it remains in ihat state about six weeks. 



Nemorcca nyctmerianus, sp. nov. 



Body black with numerous black hairs and bristles ; head with a broad 



longitudinal furrow between the ocelli extending downwards towards the 



base of the antennae, covered sparingly all over with black bristles. Eyes, 



reddish-brown, with a slight golden pubescence. Proboscis black, slender, 



covered at the tip with tawny 

 bristles ; palpi deep black, with 

 one or two short hairs. An- 

 tennae less than three-fourths 

 the length of the face, jet-black 

 throughout, destitute of hairs, 

 third joint about twice the length 

 of the first and second together. 

 Style black. Thorax dull black, 

 with many long black bristles 

 round the sides and beneath. Scutellum dull ferruginous, darker towards 

 the mesonotum, armed with several long spines at the sides. Abdomen 

 oval, broader than the thorax and about as long, black with faint bluish 

 reflections ; along the anterior margin of the segments there are indistinct 

 grey bands, which are crossed by a similar one running down the middle 

 of the abdomen, the whole of which is covered with shallow black punctures, 

 out of which short hairs rise ; long bristles are present on the posterior 

 margins of the abdominal segments in the centre and sparingly on the sides, 

 becoming very numerous towards the apex. Legs rather long and slender, 

 black, the tibiae fuscous, clothed with short bristles ; foot-cushions small, 

 light-brown. Wings hyaline, clouded with tawny towards the base ; ribs 

 black, becoming brownish towards the base. Scales pearly-white, sub- 

 opaque. 



Length, 3 lines. Expanse of wings, 5-J lines. 



