479 
Genus Molpemyia. 
Genus MOLPEMYIA. nov. gen. 
Head clothed with large narrow-curved scales and upright 
forked scales and flat lateral ones. Eyes very large, meeting in 
the middle line ; palpi of 9 about one-fourth the length of the 
proboscis. Mesothorax clothed with narrow-curved scales, some 
broader ones in front of the roots of the wings and spatulate 
ones around the bare space in front of the scutellum ; scutellum 
clothed with flat scales all over • pro thoracic lobes narrow but 
large, clothed with flat scales ; metanotum nude. Wings with 
normal Culicine venation, but short fork-cells, the base of the 
first nearer the apex of the wing than the second; lateral vein 
scales rather long and broad. 
This genus is described on a single 9 • It is very distinct, 
and bears superficially a strange resemblance to Toxorhynchites 
in general appearance. 
Dr. Bancroft, who sent me the specimen, writes : “I am 
forwarding a large dark mosquito which I found resting on a 
grass stalk. When disturbed it flew off with a quaint hum or 
singing noise that reminded me of Toxorhynchites sjpeciosus .” It 
comes near Oculiomyia , Theob., on the one hand and Gilesia on 
the other, but differs widely from both. 
Molpemyia purpurea, nov. sp. . 
Head black with pale scales; eyes very large and silvery with 
small black central spots ; proboscis and palpi metallic violet- 
black ; antennae black. Thorax black with three short lines of 
white scales on each side behind ; scutellum silvery-white ; pleurae 
black with silvery-white puncta. Abdomen dusky metallic black 
with purple and dull dusky greenish reflections ; basal white 
banding and basal lateral silvery-white spots. Legs deep metallic 
dusky purple to dull black, the fore and mid with basal white 
bands to the metatarsi and first tarsals, the hind with a white 
basal band on the second tarsal. 
9 . Head small but with very large eyes; black with large 
narrow-curved pale scales and black upright forked scales behind 
and at the sides ; the median scales are more creamy coloured 
than those around the eyes; thick black chaetae project forwards 
from the occiput near the eye border and two large ones also 
between the eyes. Eyes very large, silvery, with dark spots in 
the centre. Antennae black, with black verticillate hairs and 
dusky but pale-tipped pubescence ; basal segment black, with 
