156 Descriptions of British Diptera. 



1 ;) thorax and abdomen oval, the latter somewhat convex ; scutellum 

 with two posterior spines : eyes slightly pubescent in the males. 



This genus approximates pretty closely to Clitellaria, but is suf- 

 ficiently distinct. The species, which are not numerous, are all of 

 small size, some of those found on the continent being even very 

 minute : and they are prettily coloured, with the abdomen general- 

 ly fasciated or spotted at the sides with yellow. They frequent 

 flowers and foliage, usually in the vicinity of ponds and other col- 

 lections of water. The larvae seem to be unknown. 



1. OXYCERA PULCHELLA. 



Meig. Zwei. iii. 125, pi. 25, fig. 29, §. Musca bypoleon, Donovan, v. 

 pi. 146. fig. 2 — Musca tardigradus, Harris, Expos, pi. xi. fig. 6. 



Head and antennae black, the forehead with two silvery pubes- 

 cent spots in the male, yellow in the female, with a black line in 

 the middle ; the hypostome and space behind the eyes likewise yel- 

 low in the latter sex ; eyes with a purple band : thorax black, mar- 

 gined on the sides with yellow from the front to a little behind the 

 base of the wing, beyond this a triangular yellow spot on each side 

 of the scutellum ; the latter yellow, the spines tipped with black ; 

 abdomen black, with a pretty large oblique yellow spot on each side 

 of the third and fourth segments, and a triangular one at the extre- 

 mity ; in addition to these, the female has a yellow mark on the first 

 segment, just below the scutellum; under side of the abdomen black, 

 the second, third, and fourth segments more or less yellow in the 

 middle ; legs yellow, upper half of the thighs black, and the termi- 

 nal joints of the tarsi likewise of that colour. About 3 lines in 

 length. (Preceding wood-cut, Jig. 2.)' 



Battersea Fields and other places in the vicinity of London. 

 " Near Portland, on 24th June 1831."— J. C. Dale, Esq. 



2. OXYCERA TRILINEATA. 

 Stratiomys trilineata, Fabr — Musca trilineata, Linn. ; Donovan, v. pi. 151. 

 fig. 5 — -Musca Hydroleon, Harris, Expos, pi. xi. fig. 4. 



Nearly of the same size as the preceding, the prevailing hue green, 

 or yellowish-green, the one colour sometimes predominating and 

 sometimes the other ; antennae yellow, the forehead of the female 

 with three black streaks, the lateral ones abbreviated ; thorax with 

 three black longitudinal lines approximating, sometimes confluent, 

 at both ends ; scutellum with its spines of the same colour as the 

 body ; abdomen with irregular transverse black bands on the back, 

 not reaching the margin, and frequently having the ends turned for- 

 wards so as to give them a crescent shape ; legs and halteres yellow ; 

 wines vitreous. 



