NOTES ON SOME BRITISH SYRPHI. 
BY G. H. VEEBALL. 
Amongst the Blptera I collected last year, I have found five species 
of Syrplms to which I wish to call attention. I cannot call them new 
to England, as most of them occur in any collection, but none are 
recorded as species in "Walker's " Diptera Britanuica." They are, 
certainly, all allied to other acknowledged British species. 
Under S. auricollis, Meig., occur the true species of that name, 
and maculicornis, Zett. ; the latter may be at once distinguished 
by the abdominal bands being entirely interrupted, whilst in auricollis 
they are only deeply notched on the hinder edge. Both the species 
occur in gardens near London, maculicornis being much the commoner. 
Under umbellatarum, Fab., may also commonly be found lasioph- 
thahnus, Zett., which has slightly hairy eyes in the male, and also has 
the abdominal spots and epistoma yellower. The epistomal middle 
line is also more distinct, and the whole insect rather more hairy. 
Under cinctus, Fall, I think it most probable we have none of 
the true species, but only cinctellus, Zett. Walker certainly, amongst 
his varieties of cincfus, gives both species, but I have never yet seen 
the true form. Cinctellus has the antennse brown above, a black spot 
on the front just above the antennae, and the scutellum clothed with 
brownish hairs. Should any entomologist find specimens with wholly 
yellow antennae, no black spot above them, and the scutellum clothed 
with yellow hairs, he has the true cinctus, for which I should be much 
obliged. Cinctellus is common. 
Under vitripennis, Meig., or rihesii, Linn, is occasionally to be 
found nitidicollis, Meig., which may be known by its having a brightly 
shining thorax, and the epistoma ( ? generally) partly black. This insect 
has also a handsomer appearance than its allies, probably from its pubes- 
cence being darker. I believe it is rather rare ; it has been recorded as 
British by Stephens and Curtis. 
Under alhostriatus, Fall., is also confusiis, Egger, if the latter can 
be considered a separate species. Schiner confesses that a character 
taken from the colour of the legs of a Syrplms is a very uncertain one, 
but says that among a large number of specimens of these two species 
he can find no tendency to vary. They differ only as follows : Albo 
striatus has the femora of the four front legs black at the base, a"^®* 
the hind legs with a broad blackish i-ing, and also a small dark J-'wood 
the hind tibia;. Gonfusus has tho same parts wholly yellow, '^^^^ '^^ 
