Descriptions of British Diptera. 363 



This conspicuous insect, by far the most bulky of our native Dip- 

 tera, is found occasionally in moorland and uncultivated districts, 

 apparently in most parts of Britain. In Scotland it seems to be of 

 more frequent occurrence in the Highlands than in the southern 

 counties ; although numerous specimens have been obtained from the 

 latter. " Sutherlandshire," James Wilson, Esq. " Glen Clova," 

 H. C. Watson, Esq. " Cardoness, Kirkcudbrightshire." " Monks- 

 wood, Hunts," Charles C. Babington, Esq. " Not uncommon in 

 Cambridgeshire," Rev. Leonard Jenyns. " Ireland," A. H. Holi- 

 day, Esq. 



Tabanus autumnalis. 

 Linn. Fair — Tab. bovinus, Harris' Expos. 27. pi. vii. fig. 1. ; Geoff, ii. 460. 

 pi. 17, fig. 2. ; Meig. ii. 39. 



Considerably less than the preceding, seldom exceeding eight or 

 nine lines : hypostome and palpi light grey, the forehead of the fe- 

 male nearly white with a black line down the middle, dilated be- 

 neath into a shining callosity : antennae black ; eyes in the male 

 with a dark line in the middle : thorax pretty thickly clothed with 

 hairs, brownish-grey, with four dark brown longitudinal lines : ab- 

 domen greyish-white, with reddish brown reflexions in the male, 

 the first segment brown, the others marked with four series of 

 dark quadrate spots placed obliquely; underside of the abdomen 

 light-grey, inclining to red in the male, with a broad central black 

 stripe, and the segments edged behind with white : thighs black ; 

 tibiae brown, with the base white, nearly all white in the female ; 

 tarsi dark-brown ; halteres and winglets brownish-grey, the former 

 with the knob white : wings light grey, the nervures dark brown. 

 7|-9 lines. 



Of occasional occurrence in many parts of the country. " Near 

 London." Stephens's Catal. u Cambridgeshire, but less abundant 

 than Tabanus bovinus." Rev. Leonard Jenyns. 



Tabanus micans. 

 Meig — Tab. austriacus, Fab — Tab. niger, Donovan, xvi. pi. 564. 

 Black ; hypostome with grey pubescence ; palpi and antennae pitch- 

 brown ; eyes green, with three purple bands, at least in the female ; 

 the forehead of the latter grey, with a black spot at the base and 

 vertex, and a longitudinal line of the same colour between them : 

 thorax blackish, with very indistinct light coloured lines, the surface 

 thinly clothed with greyish pubescence : abdomen black both above 

 and beneath, with bluish reflexions ; the surface of the first segment 

 with a white pubescent spot on each side, the following segments like- 



