Descriptions of British Diptera. 367 
TABANUS TROPICUS. (s.) 
Linn. Fabr. De Geer vi. pi. 12, fig. 15-22. Samouelle's Comp. pi. 9, fig. 4. 
Meig. Zwei. ii. 61. Harris' Expos, pi. vii. 2 $. 
Palpi and hypostome dark grey in the male, yellowish-grey in 
the female, the forehead of the latter yellow, with a black callosity 
at the base, a narrow black line in the middle, and a shining point 
of the same colour on the crown ; antennae ferruginous, the apex 
dark brown : eyes green, with three transverse rays of purple : tho- 
rax shining dark brown, with indistinct dorsal grey lines, the pu- 
bescence in the male nearly black on the back, and brown on the 
sides, but entirely ferruginous in the female : abdomen black, the 
four first segments widely fulvous at the sides, with whitsh reflex- 
ions in the male, the centre with a dark stripe variable in breadth, 
sometimes bearing traces of a pale triangular spot at the hinder edge 
of the segments ; the latter edged with fulvous ; belly fulvous, dusky 
behind, the hairs round the sides black in the male, fulvous in the 
female : thighs dark brown ; tibiae ferruginous, the anterior brown 
before the middle, the others generally somewhat dusky at the 
apex, the intermediate pair with divergent hairs in the male ; tarsi 
black ; winglets yellowish -brown, halteres dusky, the extremity of 
the knob white ; wings pale brownish -grey, the anterior margin and 
nervures yellowish-brown. 7f 8 lines. 
This handsome species, which is one of the most common belong- 
ing to the genus in many of the more northern parts of the conti- 
nent, is found occasionally throughout Britain, but is probably more 
plentiful in Scotland than in the southern districts of the island. 
" Near London," Stephens' s Catal. " Cramond, near Edinburgh," 
Rev. William Little. Near Berwick," Dr Johnston. " Roxburgh- 
shire, and Pentland Hills/' Mr Duncan. " Cardoness, Kirkcud- 
brightshire." 
TABANUS RUSTICUS. (s.) 
Fabr. Gmelin, Panzer, Fauna Germ. xiii. 21. ; Meig. Zwei. ii. 60. 
Male : blackish, covered with yellowish -grey hairs ; hypostome 
and palpi light yellowish-grey ; antennae pale ferruginous, with the 
apex dusky ; eyes of a uniform pale green colour ; thorax and ab- 
domen densely clothed with whitish-grey hairs, sometimes inclining 
to yellow ; breast and anterior portion of the belly light slate-grey, 
the hinder part of the latter dull yellow : thighs grey, black at the 
extremity ; tibiae yellow ; anterior tarsi black, the hinder pair yel- 
low with the apex black ; wings hyaline, the exterior border tinged 
with yellow. 
Female : forehead light yellowish-grey, with two shining black 
points, the upper one near the middle, and sometimes prolonged be- 
