258 NOTES ON- AUSTEALIAN TABANIDAE, 11., 



Abdomen with two basal segments reddish-brown, the remainder blackish, all 

 the segmentations pale; clothed with black pubescence, with rather sparse creamy 

 pubescence along segmentations extending slightly forwards in the median Kne 

 on each segment. Venter light reddish-brown on basal segments, the remainder 

 black, segmentations pale, pubescence black, pale on segmentations. Femora 

 blackish, the apices of the intermediate and posterior somewhat lighter; tibiae 

 yellowish-brown, infuscate at aj)es, the anterior tibiae only pale in basal third; 

 tarsi dark. Wings hyaline, with yellowish-brown along anterior margin and 

 feeble shading along longitudinal veins; stigma rather large, elongate, black; 

 veins light brown, no appendix present. 



Dimensions: Type, 12.5 mm. long; wing, 11 mm.; width of head, 4.5 mm.; 

 width of frons, 0.40 mm. 



Hah. — Moa or Banks Island, Torres Strait. 



Allied to T. paJmensis Ferg. & HiU, but readily distinguished by the pale 

 lateral margin of prothorax, forming a distinct band from in front of wing-roots 

 round to scutellum. The shape of the callus is somewhat different, while the sub- 

 callus is more prominent and almost bare. The palpi are stouter and shorter. 

 The abdomen is banded and very feebly maculate along middle. The clothing of 

 the under surface is also different. 



Of the species, we possess a single 9 kindly sent by H. C. White and taken 

 by one of his collectors on 30.11.19, and a short series sent by Rev. G. A. Lus- 

 combe, taken on 19.11.20 and Febmary, 1921. 



A specimen was sent to the British Museum for determination but was re- 

 turned as not being in that collection. Type in collection of Australian Institute 

 of Tropical Medicine, Townsville. Faratypes in Collection of Department of 

 Public Health, Sydney. 



Tabanus alterxatus, nov. nom. 



Tdbanus limbatinevris, Macq., Dipt. Exot., Suppl. iv., 1850, p.. 29 (nom. 

 praeocc). — Tabanvs macquarti, Ricardo, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (8), xv., 1915, 

 p. 277, (nee T. macquarti Schiner, Reise der Novara, Dipt., 1868, p. 89 = T. 

 bigoU Bellardi, 1859). 



The range of this species is from about Camden Haven in New South Wales 

 to Eidsvold in Queensland. Specimens have recently been taken on Magnetic 

 Island, Townsville, which appear to represent a melanistic variety. The typical 

 form is very variable in clothing and in the colouration of the abdomen, the 

 pubescence varying from pure white to golden, and some of the darker white- 

 haired specimens approach closely to the Magnetic Island form, but there ap- 

 pears to be a constant difference in the shape of the callus. 



Var. MAGNETicus, n.var. 



Face, palpi and antennae as in T. alternatus, forehead with callus 

 slightly wider, more rounded, not tapei'ing above, but with a long linear .ex- 

 tension to beyond middle. Thorax as in typical specimens, but with sparse white 

 in place of golden decumbent pubescence; pleurae with hoary white hair-tufts. 



Abdomen black, lateral portion of first segment greyish, the posterior margin 

 of segments 2 — 4- narrowly margined with grey, broadened out at sides and 

 with a series of median triangular spots on segnnents 1 — 4, not reaching to the 

 anterior borders of the segTtients; pubescence black, white on the median spots 

 and on the lateral portions of the segmentations of segments 1 — 4, continued 



