298 



THE YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



into streaks and dashes, like others of the 

 genus already described. A very light male 

 is in the collection named above, that has 

 no eyed spots on the hind wing, except the 

 central spot. I believe this variety of the 

 underside is called Cinnus, Hb. Both Mr. 

 Briggs and Mr. Weston's cabinet contain 

 females of this type, with the underside very 

 dark. One figured in Mosley's Illustrations 

 has no spots but the disc spot on either 

 wing. Two other extraordinary aberrations 

 are figured in the same plate (Lycana, Plate 

 4). One taken at Torquay, and in the cabi- 

 net of Mr. S. Steven's, is a female of a very 

 pale greyish brown colour. The other is 

 so abnormal that is has been thought a new 

 species, and also a cross between Adonis and 

 Phloeas. It is a very dark bluish black on 

 the upper side, with a bluish grey fringe. 

 The underside is " shot with coppery reflec- 

 tions." It was taken at Folkestone, in 

 September, 1875, and is now in the collec- 

 tion of Mr. W. P. Weston. One other form 

 is named— Polona, Z. In occurs on the 

 mountains of Asia Minor. I do not know it, 

 but if I understand Dr. Staudingers contrac- 

 tions rightly it has a broad margin to the 

 fore wings, and the marginal spots to the 

 hind wings, black. 



Note. — Both in Staudinger's and 

 Kirby's synonymic catalogue this species is 

 called Bellargus, Rott. (1775), with Adonis, 

 S.V. (1776), as a synomyn. 



NOTES ON COMMON 

 DIPTERA. 



By S. L. Mosley. 

 (Continued from page 133J 



III. SYRPHIDiE. 



The busy summer with all its active life, 

 and the anxiety to fill up cabinet gaps, must 

 be my excuse for not being more regular in 

 my continuation of these notes, but doubtless 



many have picked up specimens which they 

 would be glad to know something about. 



Amongst the Syrphid^ are some of our 

 commonest Diptera, and many species may 

 now be obtained hovering about flowers 

 and in other situations. The family is very 

 numerous, consisting of many genera, and 

 are somewhat varied in their habits and 

 structure. 



The typical genus— Syrphus— contains 

 between twenty and thirty species, and 

 many of them may now be obtained at 

 ragwort and other flowers, but require a 

 quick hand to capture them. I have given 

 the wing of S. avacatus, Fin., to show the 

 veination (see plate 17). In this species the 

 eyes are brown, thorax metallic green 

 covered with yellowish hairs, body blue 

 black with four yellow lunules down each 

 side. Luniger, Mg., is very similar, but 

 Ribesii, L, which is figured is rather larger, 

 and the two hinder lunules are joined, form- 

 ing bands across the body. Balteatus, Deg., 

 is smaller in the body, which has a narrow 

 band and a broad one alternately, the yellow 

 forming the bands being darker than in the 

 other species named. Bifasciatus, F., has 

 the body short ; it is shining black with one 

 narrow band across the middle, and two 

 triangular spots at the sides nearer the 

 thorax. All these are very common. 



Volucella pellucens, L., (pi. 17) is a member 

 of another genus in this family. The thorax 

 and body are black, the latter having a broad 

 semi-transparent band across. The wings 

 have a dark shade near the centre, and the 

 base is tinted with yellow. This fly is com- 

 mon in Sherwood Forest and other places, 

 hovering in the air along the drives. 



Eristalis tenax, L, is as large as a hive bee, 

 and may be found at ragwort or about drain 

 traps, and is known as the " sewer bee." 

 E. arbustorum, L., (pi. 17) may be met with 

 freely at ragwort. The female has the body 

 black, with several very narrow yellow 

 bands. The male is very different, having 



