Catalogue of tlie Dipterous Insects collected at Singapore and 
Malacca by Mr. A. R. Wallace, with Descriptions of New 
Species. By Eeancis Walkee, Esq., E.L.S. 
[Read January 15th, 1856.] 
Me. A. R. Wallace, so well known for his natural-history re- 
searches in the valley of the Amazons, and for the extensive and 
valuable collections sent home by him from that portion of South 
America, has now turned his attention to the eastern world, and 
is actively investigating the natural history of the East Indian 
Islands, after having spent some months on the Malay Peninsula. 
A large portion of Mr. Wallace’s entomological collections pass 
into my hands, and being desirous of making his labours scienti- 
fically useful, I have requested Mr. E. Walker, who has such an 
intimate knowledge of the insects belonging to the order Diptera, to 
draw up the following catalogue of the dipterous insects discovered 
by Mr. Wallace at Singapore and Malacca. My object in so 
doing is to establish a kind of starting-point for tracing hereafter, 
when all Mr. Wallace’s collections shall have come to hand, the 
geographical distribution of the Diptera in the very interesting 
portion of the globe which Mr. Wallace is now investigating with 
such indefatigable zeal. Singapore and Malacca, at the extremity 
of the Malay Peninsula, are well placed for carrying out the pur- 
pose I have in view, being in connexion northwards through the 
