of bristles on apical half or more, a widely-spaced series of uneven bristles on the anteroventral surface; hind tibia with about half a dozen bristles on the anterodorsal and posterodorsal surfaces and three or four short anteroventral bristles.

Wings rather narrow, third vein setulose at base below and from base to inner cross vein above, first posterior cell with a short petiole, ending slightly before wing tip, the angle of fourth vein sharp, the section of vein beyond it much bent in just above the angle (Fig. 2); inner cross vein about four-sevenths from base of discal cell; outer cross vein about two-fifths from bend to inner cross vein; sixth vein complete. Costal thorn undeveloped.

Abdomen ovate, evenly rounded above, the sutures between the tergites distinct only at the lateral curves; first visible tergite without apical central bristles, second with two or three pairs of discals and an apical central pair, third with two pairs of discals and a complete apical series, fourth with a discal transverse series and a weaker apical series; the segments all with bristles at the lateral curves. Second sternite with a pair of apical bristles.

Lower squama lobate, its inner margin lying against the side of the scutellum and its apex quite broadly rounded.

Holotype, Wanganui (M. N. Watt).

I dedicate this genus to Dr. M. N. Watt, who sent me the type specimen several years-ago.

This is one of the few endemic New Zealand genera of the family known to me in which there are no setulae or hairs below the lower squama on the postnotum. I am placing in this same genus some additional specimens which I have distinguished as species on the following characters:—

Wattia petiolata, n.sp.

Female similar to ferruginea in general colour and structure, the antennae bright orange-yellow, and the thorax without definite vittae on dorsum.

Differs in having the apical pair of scutellar bristles very small and cruciate, the presutural area with three pairs of acrostichals, the lower costal spine fully as long as the inner cross vein and the upper one distinct though much smaller, the petiole of the first posterior cell of the wing much longer (Fig. 3), both eross veins with rather evident brown clouding, and the dust on the abdomen less evident.

Length, 8.5 mm.

Thorax glossy black, humeral angles and lateral margins of the mesonotum with grey dust, no vittae evident. Bristling as in Wattia except that the scutellum has a pair of incurved bristles at base slightly above the edge, and beyond these four long strong bristles on each side, the central pair, or apicals, shortest.

Legs brownish yellow, femora variably infuscated, tarsi black. Armature as in Wattia.

Wings greyish hyaline, veins brown, paler at bases. Third vein setulose as in Wattia, but the setulae longer and stronger, the costal spine well developed, and the apical venation as in Figure 6.

Abdomen glossy black, brownish below at apex, cylindrical, bristled as in Wattia, with all sutures quite distinct even in centre.

Squamae yellowish hyaline. Halteres brown.

Length, 6.5 mm.

Holotype: Mt. Arthur, 5,000 ft., 23.xii.21 (A. L. Tonnoir).

I have also what appears to me to be a second species of this genus which is described below. Possibly some workers on the family would consider that it should be given generic segregation, but I feel I am unable to do this because of a lack of material in both sexes and particularly because of the paucity of information as to the conditions under which these isolated specimens were taken.

Genotrichia minor, n.sp.

Female. Similar in general colour to the genotype, but the coxae are much paler, being, like the femora, fulvous yellow, and though the femora apically and the tibiae are more brownish, neither is as dark at any part as the tarsi. The head is the same in markings, the lower half of the occiput being yellow as in tonnoiri, but the antennae are not as dark, the second segment being largely reddish and the base of third segment also largely of that colour.

The head is much less strongly bristled, the parafacials having only two or three fine bristly hairs present, most noticeably so below, the antennae are smaller and the third segment is less widened at apex, while the arista is shorter, with the second segment much less than half as long as third.

The scutellum has the bristles much less evenly developed, but in the same number, and the abdomen lacks the pair of discal bristles on the second visible tergite.

The setulae on the third wing vein are carried well beyond the inner cross vein, in fact to level of the outer one, which latter is about twice as far from the preapical angle of fourth as it is from the inner cross vein instead of but slightly nearer to the latter than to the angle. The angle of fourth vein has also a spur vein and the sixth vein is traceable to the margin though it falls short of it in tonnoiri.

Length, 3.75 mm.

Holotype: Cass, 28.xi.24 (A. L. Tonnoir).

There is probably some sexual dimorphism in these two genera, but I believe I am correct in my specific decisions.

Another genus of the same general structure as the two already dealt with, the head being very similar in armature and the arista with the second segment elongated. The abdomen has the tergal sutures complete, and a pair of discals of the second and third visible tergites as in Genotrichia. The main distinctions are to be found in the lack of but one or two setulae at the extreme base of the third vein both above and below, one of those above being generally rather long, and the presence of four instead of but three sternopleural bristles. In all the available specimens the outer cross vein of the wing is slightly nearer to the inner cross vein than to the angle of fourth, the petiole of the first posterior cell is long, and the sixth vein is complete. As in the other two genera there are no hairs below the lower squama. A character that appears to link this genus with the Voria group is the pair of upwardly directed apical bristles of the scutellum, this being different from the rule in the two preceding genera in which when these bristles are present they are directed backward. A unique feature of the genus is the entire lack of short hairs on the central stripe of the abdominal dorsum between the paired bristles. The two genera already dealt with have these hairs present.

Genotype, the following species:—

Arthuria dimorpha, n.sp.

Male. Glossy black, antennae and palpi black, tibiae brownish yellow, wings and squamae brownish hyaline, the veins brown, slightly clouded.

Head in profile as Figure 7. Parafacials and genae greyish dusted. Width of frons at vertex nearly half that of head, widened in front, its length in centre less than its width at vertex, the frontal orbits at level of anterior margin of interfrontalia about two-thirds as great as latter, bristled as in the other two genera, the interfrontalia without hairs or bristles. Eyes bare.

Thorax with the same bristling as in Wattia, including one or more bristles at centre of mesopleura above, and the long pteropleural, but with an additional sternopleural between the upper two, and the apical pair of fine bristles on the scutellum upcurved. Humeral angles and pleura slightly grey dusted.

Legs as in Wattia.

Wing with the apical venation as in Figure 8. Costal thorn distinct.

Abdomen glossy black, ovate, and almost cylindrical, the sutures distinct, and the armature as in Wattia, the fourth visible segment with long bristles on entire dorsum, becoming shorter apically. Inner edges of the processes of fifth sternite with some fine bristly hairs directed apically.

Female. Differs from the male in having the second antennal segment reddish, the palpi and legs except their tarsi brownish to fulvous yellow, and the thorax and abdomen more or less evidently grey dusted.

those just mentioned are such as we find in Uclesiella and Calcageria except that the first vein is bare as in the former while in Calcageria is bristled centrally above. No mention was made of the lack of discal abdominal bristles nor of the peculiar apical venation of the wing (Fig. 11) and he was in error in stating that the ultimate section of the fifth vein is as long as the penultimate section. The utimate section of the fifth vein in Hutton's type male now before me is not over two-thirds as long as the penultimate one. It is upon the lack of discal abdominal bristles that I base the distinction of the genus from any of those already dealt with in this paper.

Plagiomyia turbidum (Hutton).

A shining black species with distinct grey dust on head, thorax, and abdomen. Antennae black, second segment red at apex; palpi black. Mesonotum with four black vittae. Bases of abdominal tergites rather broadly pale grey dusted. Legs black. Wings brownish hyaline, darker along costa basally, veins dark brown, not clouded. Squamae white. Halteres fuscous.

Frons much as in Wattia, but the outer bristles on each orbit consist of one upper outwardly curved bristle and from three to five anterior proclinate bristles, the latter sometimes very unequal in lengths. Interfrontalia with a few minute hairs close against each orbit, none on centre. Parafacials with numerous fine hairs which extend downward to level of uppermost setulae on the facial ridges, the latter ceasing at lower third. Genal bristles rather strong, three or four in number. Third antennal segment about equal in length to second, the latter with numerous short bristles on upper side.

Dorsocentral and acrostichal bristles 3 + 3, prealar rather short presutural intra-alar well developed, postsutural intra-alars and sternopleurals 3, pteropleural very short or undeveloped; scutellum with three marginals, the apical pair cruciate, the discal setulae long and erect, the apical pair longest.

Legs stout, strongly bristled, all tarsi at least as long as their tibiae, the fore pair of female slightly widened, fifth, segment on all pairs longer than fourth.

Wing venation slightly variable, but generally as in Figure 11, the section of costa between apices of second and third veins slightly more direct or straightened than usual; ultimate section of fifth vein very faint, over two-thirds as long as penultimate one; setulae on third vein extending to well beyond inner cross vein above, and confined to node below.

Abdomen ovate, more flattened above than in any species already dealt with in this paper, all tergites with lateral bristles, first without, second with a pair of apical central bristles, third and fourth with complete apical series, fourth with no discals and with a series of bristly hairs on apical edge that extend backward. Both pairs of the hypopygial forceps of male tapered to apices and slightly bent forward at tips, the superior pair more slender than inferior pair-Fifth sternite of male with a number of long bristly hairs on lower-edges of the processes.

Length, 6–7 mm.

I have before me Hutton's type male from Christchurch and a male and female from the same locality taken by Dr. Tonnoir Additional localities are as follows: Cass, Ohakune, Spreydon, Nelson, and Mt. Grey.

Plagiomyia achaeta, n.sp.

Male. Similar in all respects to turbidum, except in having the antennae without distinct red apex to the second antennal segment and no pair of strong bristles in centre of apex of the second visible tergite of the abdomen of the male.

Length, 6 mm.

Holotype, Mt. Arthur, 5,000 ft., 23.xii.21 (A. L. Tonnoir).

It is possible that this is merely a dark and small variety of turbidum, as in some females the second visible tergite of that species lacks the apical central pair of bristles, and it is not unreasonable to expect that occasional males may vary in the same manner from the typical form.

Plagiomyia longipes, n.sp.

Female. Similar to turbidum in general characters, colour, etc., differing from it in having the parafacials narrower in profile, more evenly brown dusted and with smaller hairs and more confined to the upper half (Fig. 12), the antennae with the third segment shorter, no pair of apical central bristles on the second abdominal tergite, and the fourth tarsal segment on all legs longer than the fifth. Otherwise almost identical.

Length, 6–7.5 mm.

Holotype, Mt. Arthur, 4,500 ft., 21.xii.21 (A. L. Tonnoir).

apical cell ends farther from the apex of the wing, and the last section of the fourth vein is hardly bowed inwards.

Genotype, Calcageria incidens, Curran.

I have before me four species, the types of this genus and Calcager, and what I take to be two new species, and a careful examination of these, all of them represented by more than a single specimen, causes me to believe that it will be either necessary to merge the two existing genera or to erect at least one additional genus. The presence of strong setulae or bristles on the upper surface of the first wing vein was not listed as a generic character for Calcageria by Curran, possibly because there may have been some doubt in his mind as to the importance of this as a generic character, but it has been used in the family as a generic criterion, and it appears to be of considerable value in some groups. It is undoubtedly, in my opinion, more important than the hairs of the eyes or the trivial distinctions in the venation of the wings made use of by Curran in his generic diagnosis. I have elected to make use of the bristled first vein as the distinguishing character herein, and separate two species on the characters given in the following diagnosis:—

Calcageria incidens, Curran.

This species is black, rather densely grey dusted, with the basal two segments of the antennae and the palpi testaceous to fulvous yellow, and the tibiae more or less distinctly reddish yellow or brownish yellow centrally. Thorax with grey dust, the mesonotum with four black vittae, abdomen glossy black, the base of each tergite rather broadly pale grey dusted. Wings brownish hyaline, veins fuscous. Squamae brownish hyaline. Halteres brown.

Head of female as Figure 15 in profile. Eyes with some scattered pale hairs of moderate length but difficult to see unless at certain angles against the light. Frons wider in front than its length in centre, the triangle and orbits grey dusted and the interfrontalia reddish brown, the latter with one or two hairs on each side centrally; outer proclinate bristles on each orbit usually three, the upper one or the central one weakest.

Dorsocentrals 3 + 3 acrostichals 3 + 2, prealar short, postsutural intra-alars 3, presutural intra-alar well developed, pteropleural very short, sternopleurals 3; scutellum with 3 laterals on each side, the apical pair rather short and cruciate, the disc with a number of erect bristles.

Legs stout, tarsi slightly longer than their tibiae and rather thick, the fourth and fifth segments subequal, bristling strong and arranged as in the other genera.

characters within the species. It is unfortunate that I have males only of apertum, and females only of the other two species I am placing in the following key.

Calcager apertum, Hutton.

A rather large shining black species, with white dust on head thorax and abdomen, the basal two antennal segments usually reddish yellow and the palpi fuscous. In exceptional specimens the antennae are darker and in one specimen the palpi are brownish yellow. The thorax has four black vittae, and the bases of the abdominal tergites are silver white dusted, the fascia on the fourth tergite usually drawn out into a point in centre. The conspicuous clouds on the two cross veins and the preapical angle of the fourth are characteristic of this species and the next one in this group, and remind one of certain African species of the genus Sarcophaga.

The third antennal segment is rather variable in length as compared with the second, usually equal to the latter in length, it may be in some specimens quite noticeably longer. The second segment of the aristae is also variable in length, but is always at least three times as long as thick. The proclinate outer orbitals are strong and usually in three or four pairs. There are usually two or three rather strong posterior genal bristles, and the parafacials are furnished with numerous moderately long setulose hairs. The eyes are quite densely pale haired.

This is the only species of the group I am dealing with in this paper that has four pairs of postsutural dorsocentral bristles. The scutellum has a number of long erect discal bristles, the pair nearest apex the longest.

Legs normal, with the usual strong bristles.

Wings as usual rather small, hardly attaining the apex of the abdomen, with the apical venation similar to that of Calcageria, though the outer cross vein is rarely proximad of midway from inner to angle of fourth, and the fourth beyond the angle is more markedly incurved immediately above the angle. There are rarely more than one or two bristles beyond the inner cross vein on upper side of third vein, and the ultimate section of the fifth vein is hardly half as long as the penultimate one.

Abdomen cylindrical, tapered to apex, with the sutures all distinct, though the second and third do not have the apices of the tergites overlapping. Bristles long, the first visible one lacking apical

central pair, the others all with apicals, the second and third usually with two unequal pairs of discals. Apex of fourth tergite with the usual apical backwardly projecting fringe of hairs and bristles.

Length, 7–8.5 mm.

Type locality, Christchurch. Other localities: Gouland Downs 7.ii.22 (R. J. Tillyard); Ruapehu, 7.i.22 (Fenwick); Arthur's Pass, 6.i.23, 4,000 ft. (D. Miller); Day's Bay, 24.iii.22 (J. G. Myers); Cass, 1.xii.24, and Christchurch, 17.ii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir). The specimen in which the palpi are brownish yellow is a male from Kaituna, 19.ii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir).

Calcager dubium, n.sp.

A female specimen which closely resembles apertum except in being smaller, more densely dusted on the head and thorax, with the dust more brownish, the palpi entirely orange-yellow, and the tibiae largely reddish-yellow. The basal two antennal segments are bright orange-red, and the wings are marked as in apertum.

The third antennal segment is narrower than in apertum, but this is a female character, and at least 1.5 times as long as the second; the parafacials have a series of unequal bristles, the longest being about as long as the arista and very much stronger than any of those in the specimens of apertum now before me. Each orbit is armed with three strong proclinate outer bristles.

The thorax has but three pairs of postsutural dorsocentrals, but is otherwise much as in the genotype.

Abdomen broader than in the male, more ovate and depressed with the bristles shorter. The second tergite has two pairs and the third one pair of discals.

Wings much as in apertum, but the outer cross vein is nearer to the inner than to the angle of fourth. Neither of the two costal thorns is developed spine-like.

Length, 6.5 mm.

Holotype, Flora Camp, 3,000 ft., 5.i.30 (E. S. Gourlay).

Calcageria incidens, var. nuda nov.

Several females that may belong to a distinct species are classed tentatively as a variety of incidens under the above name. They agree very closely with this species but lack the bristles on the upper surface of the first wing vein, which character I have accepted as of generic value.

There are no outstanding characters for their separation from incidens apart from this one and there being only females of both available it is impossible for me to make a hypopygial comparison to check my findings.

Length, 5–6 mm.

Holotype, and two paratypes, Otira, 9.ii.22, one, Kaikoura, 23.ii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir); one, Arthur's Pass, 23.xii.22, 3,500 ft. (J. G. Myers).

Genotype, Engycera politiventris, n.sp.

Engycera politiventris, n.sp.

A deep black species, with silver grey dust on the head except the interfrontalia, whitish grey dust on the thorax, the mesonotum with four black vittae, abdomen glossy black, legs black, the tibiae more or less brownish yellow centrally, antennae black; palpi fuscous, sometimes yellowish basally; wings greyish hyaline, none of the veins distinctly clouded, the longitudinal veins yellowish basally; squamae white; halteres yellow.

Male. Head in profile as Figure 20. Frons not as wide in front of the ocelli as the third antennal segment; behind each eye and extending downward to middle of eye there is a series of exceptionally long erect fine bristly hairs, between each pair of which there is a much shorter hair. Third antennal segment a little shorter than second, slightly emarginate above near apex, the apical upper angle not very sharp. Hairs on parafacials carried to lower level of eyes and fine, those on the gena long and setulose though none of them bristle-like. Palpi long and but slightly dilated at apices, fine haired.

Thorax with the bristles well developed, the three pairs of postsutural dorsocentrals long and equal, the acrostichals 2 + 3; sternopleurals 3; one outstanding though not very long pteropleural; seutellum with three pairs of marginals, the apical one cruciate, the hairs on sides not carried to apex of venter.

Legs rather slender, the bristles strong, tarsi slender, the claws long, slender, and almost straight to apex. Fore tibia with several rather long anterodorsal bristles, the one nearest apex the longest; mid tibia with a strong ventral bristle; hind femur with long bristles on anteroventral and basal half of the posteroventral surface.

Wings normal, apical venation as Figure 21; a few very fine hairs on basal part of the third vein, confined to node below, but varying in extent above, though never extending to inner cross vein.

Abdomen narrowly ovate, the sutures all distinct. First visible tergite usually with a strong pair of apical central bristles, all the others with strong apical and discal bristles, strongest and most numerous on the fourth visible tergite. Fifth sternite with a pair of rather large rounded lobes that are usually pressed together and form a sort of keel, their surfaces with a few setulose hairs, but none along the margin.

Lower squama widened behind, the inner edge straight and lying against the margin of the scutellum, not bulged upward basally, the apex quite broadly rounded.

Female. Similar to the male in general characters, but the frons is nearly one-third of the head width at vertex, much widened to anterior margin, each orbit at middle is as wide as the interfrontalia and has at least two strong proclinate outer bristles.

The abdomen is wider, and the first visible tergite has rarely the apical central pair of bristles present.

Length, 6.5–7.5 mm.

Holotype, Male, allotype, and 4 paratypes. Purakanui, 1907 (D. Miller). Paratypes, Dun Mt., 2.000 ft., 15.iii.21 (A. Philpott); Barewood, 1908 (D. Miller); Tahunanui, 14.i.28 (E. S. Gourlay); and Roxburgh, 1909 (D. Miller).

Engycera politiventris, var. setosa, nov.

This variety is identical with the typical form, but the third antennal segment of the male is broader, with a sharper upper apical angle, the parafacials are not as copiously haired nor do the hairs descend as far, and the genae have the hairs less numerous and amongst them there are a number of rather well-developed bristles.

Length, 6.5–7.5 mm.

Holotype, Male, and 3 paratype males, Mt. Grey, 20.ix.28 (E. S. Gourlay); allotype, Tahunanui, 10.iii.28 (E. S. Gourlay); paratypes, Aniseed Valley, 21.iii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir), Nelson, 28.ix.23 (A. L. Tonnoir), Dun Mt., 3,000 ft., 20.x.21 (A. Philpott), and two without data.

Engycera monticola, n.sp.

A much larger and more robust species than the genotype, with the dusting more conspicuous, and present on the abdomen where the bases of the tergites are quite densely greyish white. The tibiae are usually reddish yellow, and the sides of the segments of the basal half of the abdomen are frequently quite noticeably red. This last character is rarely evident in the males of the genotype and when there is any red visible it is confined to the second visible tergite.

Male, Female. Structurally different from politiventris, besides the larger size, in having the frons in both sexes wider, the third antennal segment not over two-thirds as long as the second, the arista thicker, with the second segment longer, the parafacials haired only on upper half, and the postsutural dorsocentrals usually at least 4 in number. There is usually more than one pair of discal bristles on the second visible tergite. The general features of the fifth sternite are the same.

alar bristle lacking, and the frons of the female less than one-fourth of the head width at the vertex, widened to anterior margin. The ocellars are present in both sexes though much stronger in the female than in the male; the female has the uppermost bristle on each orbit slightly reclinate and divergent, and the male has no differentiated upper reclinate bristle, the inner margin of each orbit being furnished with a series of bristles that are strong at bases of the antennae and run into mere short fine hairs above, extending to near the anterior ocellus. The proboscis is short, the palpi are long, and the third antennal segment is at least twice as long as the second. Other cephalic characters may be seen in Figure 22, representing the head in profile. First posterior cell open, ending distinctly before wing tip, the outer cross vein much nearer to the bend of fourth than to the inner cross vein.

Genotype, Perrissina crocea, n.sp.

Perrissina crocea, n.sp.

A metallic blue species, with the thorax greyish white dusted, the mesonotum with two submedian lines that are paler dusted than the remainder of the disc when seen from the side and undusted when seen from behind, the most conspicuous feature of the colouring consisting of the bright orange-yellow parafacials, third antennal segment, palpi, and basal scale of the wing. The two pairs of thoracic spiracles have their flaps rather duller orange-yellow, and the abdomen has no trace of dust, while the tip of the fourth visible tergite is orange-yellow.

Male. Head black, the face yellow, with rather dense yellowish grey dust, the parafacials orange-yellow, with rather slight whitish dust, variable according to the angle from which the head is viewed; antennae with the basal two segments brownish yellow, the third bright reddish orange; aristae black; palpi orange-yellow; central occipital hairs yellowish white, the others and all the bristles black. Frons black, the orbits changeable grey dusted. Frons at narrowest point not as wide as third antennal segment, widened to anterior margin; profile as Figure 22a. Face slightly depressed, without a distinct central carina.

Thorax sometimes quite extensively brown on the pleura and always with a small amount of brown on the lateral margin of the mesonotum behind the wing bases; all hairs and bristles black. Dorsocentrals usually 3 + 4, acrostichals 2–3 + 3, prealar long, one or two long bristles on the pteropleura, sternopleurals 1–2 + 1; scutellum with 8 marginal bristles, the apical pair long.

Legs variable in colour, in mature specimens largely fuscous, in others mainly reddish brown. Fore femur with two dorsal and a posteroventral series of bristles and many long hairs on posterior surface; fore tibia with a series of fine short anterodorsal sctulae and two posterior submedian bristles; outer claw of fore tarsus as Figure 22b. Mid tibia without a submedian ventral bristle, with one anterodorsal and four or more short posterior bristles; the claws similar to the fore pairs. Hind femur with long fine bristles on basal half of the posteroventral and all of the anteroventral surface; hind tibia with one anteroventral, two posterodorsal, and three anterodorsal bristles as well as some setulae between the latter.

Wings slightly smoky, especially costally, veins fuscous, base of costa and the basal scale bright orange-yellow. Extreme base of third vein with a few hairs.

Abdomen broadly ovate. First visible tergite deeply excavated in centre, with a pair of apical central bristles, second tergite with a pair of discal and a pair of apical central bristles, third with a

pair of discal and a complete apical series of bristles; fourth with numerous bristles on almost the entire disc. Fifth sternite with the processes orange-yellow and of moderate size, without any exceptional form or armature; superior hypopygial forceps with long rather densely haired backwardly projecting extensions.

Squamae dark brown. Knobs of halteres yellow.

Female. Similar in general colour and structure to the male, differing in having the frons at vertex a little less than one-fourth of the head width, widened to anterior margin, the orbits with two proclinate outer bristles and one reclinate and slightly backwardly-curved bristle at upper fifth, the hairs on the eyes not as long, the abdomen more broadly ovate and without apical central bristles on the first and second visible tergites and no discals on second and third. The mid tibia has the submedian ventral bristle present and the fore tarsi have the apical three segments slightly widened, and the claws small and equal.

Length, 10–12 mm.

A puparium mounted with the Male type specimen is shining chestnut-brown in colour, with the surface finely transversely striate, the metathoracic spiracular protuberances developed in the form of short horn-like projections much as we find in many Muscidae of the more typical genera, and the posterior spiracular discs small, in an apical depression (Fig. 23), with three straight slits.

Holotype, Male, Nelson, 3.x.28, mounted with puparium, but no data as to host (E. S. Gourlay). Allotype, Wanganui, 5.i.22 (J. G. Myers). Paratypes, York Bay, 4.ii.23 (J. G. Myers), and Ohakune, February, 1921, no collector's name.

Perrissina albiceps, n.sp.

Male. Head black, densely greyish white dusted, face testaceous, anterior part of gena in front of the haired part reddish brown, interfrontalia dark brown; antennae black, apex of second segment and extreme base on third reddish, palpi fuscous. Occipital hairs except those on margins yellow, the other hairs and bristles black. Narrowest part of frons not as wide as third antennal segment; profile as in crocea, but the third antennal segment is hardly twice as long as second.

Thorax black, with quite dense grey dust, the mesonotum with four black vittae, the central pair the narrower and ceasing at or shortly beyond the suture, the apex of the scutellum brownish yellow. Bristling as in crocea, but the lower anterior sternopleural bristle usually well developed.

Legs black, fore coxae partly and the tibiae largely brownish yellow, the tibiae with a dark stripe above and dark at bases below. Bristles as in crocea, except that the mid tibia has a rather long submedian ventral bristle. The outer claw of each fore tarsus is widened and peculiarly bent at the apex as if it had been pinched, the surface with dense pile except on the short black projecting tip; the inner claw apparently compressed on its entire length except near apex and not as noticeably pilose as in crocea.

Wings slightly brownish, most noticeably so basally, the veins dark brown, becoming paler basally, the basal scale fuscous, base of costa tawny yellow. Costal spine very small; node of third vein with a few fine hairs.

Abdomen broadly ovate, black, with the basal three tergites broadly brownish yellow and semipellucid on sides, the dark colour reduced to a dorsocentral vitta of variable width, the dusting distinct, white, most evident when the abdomen is viewed from behind against the light, most dense at bases of the tergites and more or less checkered beyond. Bristling as in crocea, but rather variable, the pair at apex of first tergite always distinct. The fifth sternite has the processes yellow and rather large, with their general form broad and apically rounded, without any hairs or bristles on the apical and lower portions. Backward extension of superior hypopygial forceps very short.

Squamae brownish yellow. Halteres yellow.

Female. Differs from the male in having the palpi tawny yellow, and the abdomen not yellow on the sides, the frons at vertex not one-fourth of the head width and with the bristling as noted in the generic description, the legs with the exception of the tarsi tawny yellow, and the abdomen with no apical bristles on the first tergite nor discals on the second and third. The tarsal claws are as usual very much smaller than in the male, and the fore pairs are-symmetrical.

Length, 11–12 mm.

Holotype, Male, and allotype, Wairaurahira, 30.xii.16. Para-types, Nelson, 6.xii.28 (E. S. Gourlay); Dun Mt.; Wellington; Salisbury's Opening; Stephen's Island; and two without data.

Perrissina brunniceps, n.sp.

A blue-black species with a close superficial resemblance to some species of the genus Calliphora.

Male. Head black, epistome pale brown, frons without pale dusting, parafacials with brown dust which is changeable when viewed from different angles, the narrow postocular orbits similarly dusted, occiput and the raised and haired part of genae pale grey dusted; antennae and palpi black, the apex of second antennal segment slightly brownish; hairs on centre of occiput and the beard golden yellow, the other hairs and the bristles black. Eyes densely haired; general structure as in albiceps.

Thorax including the scutellum blue-black, with rather slight white dusting, the mesonotum with four dark vittae that are most distinct in front of suture when seen from behind against the light Bristling as in albiceps, but there are only 2 sternoplenrals in the type, and the hairs are longer.

Legs black, tibiae more or less brownish yellow centrally. Mid tibia without a submedian ventral bristle and the fine hairs decumbent and shorter than the more erect ventral hairs on the mid tibia in crocea. Fore tarsal claws as in albiceps. There are some distinctions in the armature of the mid metatarsus which I have not used in differentiating the species of the genus.

parafacials subequal to the length of eye and almost as great as the height of the gena; frons in male one-third of the head width, with some proclinate outer orbital bristles; interfrontalia longitudinally furrowed, bare; face deeply sunken, bifoveolate, the central linear carina hidden when the antennae are in their normal position and in that case the large wide third antennal segment is only half visible in profile; second antennal segment not one-third as long as third; second segment of the arista hardly longer than thick; apical section of proboscis as long as lower margin of head; palpi longer than the third antennal segment; gena without a large raised haired part. Thorax with the bristling much as in Peremptor, but the scutellum has about 10 marginal bristles. Abdomen narrowly ovate, variably bristled, but the armature strong apically. The peculiar elongate backwardly directed numerously bristled paired processes of the hypopygium appear to be modified superior forceps, but I have not carefully dissected these organs so do not give a definite opinion. In any event, there are several New Zealand genera in which similar structures appear and I am not using this character as generic.

Genotype, the following species.

Asetulia nigropolita, n.sp.

Male. Head black, face brownish, parafacials and genae reddish brown, more definitely red on posterior part of genae, the parafacials with dense brassy dust that is changeable according to the angle from which the head is viewed; basal two antennal segments red, third deep black; palpi fulvous yellow; central occipital hairs and beard orange-yellow, remainder of hairs and the bristles black. Profile as Figure 24. Frons at vertex about one-third of the head width, widened anteriorly; second antennal segment about one-fourth as long as third, the latter very wide.

Thorax shining black, with brownish grey dust, most distinct on mesonotum where there are about six brown or fuscous vittae that are evanescent posteriorly and variable in number and intensity according to the angle from which the surface is seen. Dorsocentrals 3 + 4, the acrostichals finer and about the same in number; prealar long; sternopleurals 2 + 1; pteropleura with one bristle a little longer than the others.

Legs black, knees narrowly red. Fore tibia with a few short anterodorsal setulae and two or three fine posterior bristles; mid tibia without a submedian ventral bristle, the ventral surface with the short hairs erect and more conspicuous than usual, the anterodorsal and posterior surfaces each with three or four bristles; hind tibia with one or two anteroventral and four or five anterodorsal and posterodorsal bristles. Claws of all tarsi moderately long and symmetrical.

Wings slightly brownish, more so costally, the veins dark brown, paler basally, basal scale brownish yellow. First posterior cell quite widely open, ending in front of wing tip; third vein with some minute basal hairs.

Abdomen glossy black, without dusting. First visible tergite without apical central bristles, second with a pair, but no discals,

Plethochaetigera fenwicki, n.sp.

Male, Female. A black species with dense grey dust on the head, thorax, and abdomen.

Male. Head black, the gena in front of and above the haired part brownish red, parafacials densely whitish grey dusted, the frontal orbits and postocular orbits a little less so, interfrontalia dull brownish black; antennae, patpi, and proboscis, black. All hairs and bristles, including those of the occiput and beard, black. Frons at vertex fully one-third of the head width, widened to anterior margin the orbits narrow, with numerous long inner marginal incurved bristles on their entire extent and three or more outer bristles on the upper half or more, the anterior one or two proclinate and strong, the others outwardly curved and weaker; ocellar and inner vertical bristles long and strong, outer verticals shorter but well developed, the setulose hairs on upper half of the postocular orbits long and curved forward slightly at apices. Eyes long haired; gena about half as high as eye, with the hairs long and strong, carried forward to anterior level of eye on a grey dusted and slightly raised area that extends more than midway to eye from lower genal margin. Third antennal segment rather wide, hardly more than twice as long as broad, and about twice as long as second segment; arista with second segment fully twice as long as thick, third thickened on almost its basal half.

Thorax black, quite densely grey dusted on the pleura and lateral margins of the mesonotum, less densely so on disc of latter, where there are four rather wide black vittae that do not entirely attain the posterior margin, scutellum black at base, grey dusted at apex. Dorsocentrals 3 + 4, acrostichals variable but usually 2–3 + 3, prealar long, a strong bristle between the anterior presntural and posthumeral bristles; scutellum with 8 or 10 marginal bristles and the discal setulose hairs long and almost erect; sternopleura with at least three strong bristles and a number of setulose hairs.

Legs strong, and with numerous strong bristles, the anterodorsal and posterior surfaces of the fore tibia with six or more bristles, those on the latter irregular in length and arrangement.

Wings greyish hyaline, veins dark brown, hardly paler basally. Costal thorn undeveloped; inner cross vein slightly proximad of middle of the discal cell.

Abdomen coloured as thorax, but usually reddish brown on sides of the second and third tergites, the grey dust dense at bases of the tergites, fading out as it extends apically, the apices of the tergites black. First visible tergite with at least one pair of bristles anterior to the apical central pair and with the apical series entire; second tergite with the discals in two or more rather irregular series of four bristles, the apical series entire; third tergite with the apical half bristled, and four almost entirely bristled, though the armature apically is less strongly developed and more dense. Fifth sternite in profile as Figure 28, the two sternites proximad of it with fine erect hairs and no strong bristles, though the second sternite has a number of much longer bristly hairs.

Squamae white. Halteres brown.

Female. Similar to the male in general colour and structure, but the abdomen is nowhere reddish, and is more broadly ovate and less strongly bristled apically. The hairs descend more distinctly on the parafacials, and the fore tarsi are not distinctly dilated, though the fifth segment appears slightly so.

Length, 9–11 mm.

Holotype, Male, allotype, and 3 paratypes, Bold Peak, no date (Fenwiek); one male paratype, 3.ii.12, Ranfurly, No. 917 (D. Miller).

Plethochaetigera setiventris, n.sp.

Similar in general colouration and structure to fenwicki, differing markedly in the characters listed in the above key and in having the disc of the thorax with the vittae more nearly fused, throwing it into more marked contrast with the pale dusted lateral margins, the apex of the scutellum not grey dusted, the abdomen with the dust more checkered, and less noticeably dense at bases of the tergites and carried to their apices, and a brown suffusion along the entire centre of the disc. There is no trace of brown or red colour on the sides basally. The main structural distinctions are dealt with in the key, but in addition there are longer backwardly directed hypopygial processes in the male (Fig. 29) and there are fewer discal bristles on the second and third visible tergites, the latter being broadly lacking in bristles on each side of the disc.

Length, 10–12 mm.

Holotype, Male, Bold Peak (Fenwick); allotype, Mt. Arthur, 31.xii.28 (E. S. Gourlay); paratypes, Tararuas, 20.xii.20, Cleughearn, 1.i.15, 3 without any data, and several Paradise, 1.i.20 (Fenwick).

There is a third species which I place tentatively in this genus. It differs from the other two in the lack of the central bristles proximad of the apicals on the first visible tergite, but the other characters are so suggestive of the genus that there can be no reason for its removal therefrom. I append the description.

Plethochaetigera isolata, n.sp.

Similar to the other two species in general colour and markings, no red on the sides of the basal half of the abdomen, the mesonotum with the lateral margins broadly pale grey dusted, and the four black vittae showing signs of fusion much as in setiventris, the

times as long as thick, the parafacials are haired to the lower level of the eyes, the hairs being well developed, and the palpi are rather short and thick. Other characters may be gleaned from the description of the type-species given below.

Plethochaetigera (Chaetopletha) centralis, n.sp.

A black species, with dense grey dusting, more yellowish on pleura, the mesonotum and disc of scutellum broadly brown dusted centrally, the abdomen with similar brown dorsocentral broad stripe which is more or less spot-like and widest behind, the fourth visible tergite being almost entirely brown above.

Head black, densely grey dusted except on the interfrontalia which shows very slight dusting from certain angles, the dust becoming yellowish or brownish on the lower part of head. Antennae black, basal two segments brownish; palpi dark brown to fuscous. Frons at vertex almost half as wide as head, widened in front, the orbits less than half as wide as interfrontalia at middle; triangle grey dusted, extending but little beyond the anterior ocellus. Inner verticals strong, outer pair weak and short, inner marginal bristles on orbits long and fine, about 8 in number, the anterior one almost opposite base of second antennal segment, the proclinate outer bristles about 4 in number, fine, the hairs rather long. Parafacial at middle almost as wide as eye; face slightly receding below, the vibrissal angle with two almost equally long bristles, the other genal bristles very fine. Face not carinate, but with a rather deep central depression. Third antennal segment about four times as long as second, reaching well below middle of face, and rather slender, the arista inserted about as far from its base as length of second segment, the basal segment of arista fully as long as thick, second about four times as long as thick, the two combined not half as long as third, the latter thickened to near middle; palpi about as long as antenna and equal to apical section of proboscis, rather densely soft haired. Eyes haired.

Thorax black, dull, densely grey dusted, the mesonotum in addition to the central brown vitta with four rather faint partial dark grey vittae. All bristles fine and moderately long, the dorsocentrals 2 + 4; presutural lateral area with three bristles; prealar duplicated; presutural acrostichals 3; scutellars 6; sternopleurals 2 + 1.

Legs black. Bristles strong and about the same as in tonnoiri; fore tarsi not dilated.

Wings greyish hyaline, slightly brownish at bases; veins quite thick and dark; first posterior cell open, ending slightly in front of wing tip, fourth vein beyond bend longer than before it.

Abdomen coloured as thorax. First visible tergite hardly impressed centrally in front, with two or three pairs of bristles which are rather widely spaced from centre, and two or three bristles near lateral curve at apex; second with three or four pairs of bristles in centre, the one nearest apex not strictly apical, and a few lateral bristles; third with a pair of bristles near anterior margin from

most cases distinguishable, while on the disc of the second tergite there are most frequently one or two pairs of discal bristles in the males, less frequently in the females; the third tergite has the discals more constant though not always present. The hind tibia has the anterodorsal surface with a rather regular series of short closely placed bristles with one or two longer bristles near the middle of the series. This character is met with in a number of Palearctic and Nearctic genera, but in no other New Zealand genus, all having the bristles either much fewer and more widely separated or much more irregular.

I have before me in addition to the type male of usitata males identified by Hutton as orasus, Walker, and clathrata, Nowickl. I have in the paper above referred to stated that I consider all the specimens, which are males, belong to the same species. In view of the fact that identifications of the older species are at best merely guesses, it is better to accept for the one now under discussion the name of the one represented by authenticated type material and to leave the decision of synonymy if any to subsequent investigators who may have access to the types of the other two species.

In his specific key^* Hutton uses mainly colour as a guide to the separation of the species, running orasus and clathrata into the same couplet and separating them on the basis of the presence or lack of red spots on the abdomen. I find that the specimens before me both have such spots, as does also the type of usitata.

The head is fuscous behind, with greyish white dusting, the frontal orbits are fuscous, and similarly dusted, and the interfrontalia and remainder of head are reddish brown, paler below, with white dusting, the parafacials when viewed from above with the face towards the light has a reddish brown spot near the base of the antenna, the basal two segments of the antennae and the palpi are variable yellowish brown, and the third antennal segment and aristae black. Frons about one-third of the head width at vertex, widened to anterior margin in the male, the interfrontalia at middle about as wide as either orbit at the same point. Third antennal segment fully four times as long as the second and moderately wide; arista with the basal two-fifths swollen. Facial ridges with the bristles irregularly biseriate. In the female the frons is a little wider, the basal two segments and the base of third are paler, and the third is narrower, not as wide as the parafacial.

Thorax shining black, slightly bronzy, with whitish grey dust, the mesonotum with four narrow black vittae anteriorly; seutellum brownish yellow; pleura in the female sometimes rufous centrally.

Legs in male black, the coxae and femora more or less brownish shaded, the tibiae pale brown or yellowish brown; in female the coxae and femora are mainly yellowish brown and the tibiae are always of that colour.

Wings hyaline, veins brown, paler basally.

Abdomen black, with a more marked bronzy or greenish tinge than the thorax, the dust white and distinctly checkered, the sides

of first and second visible tergites usually reddish brown. First visible tergite with the apical central bristles weak, second usually without the pair of discals, third usually with them present.

Squamae yellowish white, the inner edge of the lower one dark brown.

Length, 7–9 mm.

Localities: Christchurch, Nelson. Hutton gave Auckland and Ashburton as localities for orasus, and despite the fact that he gives no record of having seen the species, he states in the paper just referred to that the amount of red on the sides of the abdomen is variable, and it is difficult to determine to which of the two species some specimens should be referred. The identified specimen before me is from the Hutton collection and bears no locality label.

I might mention here that in addition to the generic characters listed the bristling of the fore tibia is characteristic, there being a partial series of short bristles on the anterodorsal surface, an almost complete series of similar bristles on the posterodorsal surface, and two or three much longer posterior bristles; the posterodorsal bristles are usually lacking in New Zealand genera of this family.

Cerosomyia efferata, Hutton.

I am practically certain that this is another synonym of usitata, there being no tangible characters for the separation of the type female from those I am placing with that species. Despite Hutton's statement in his key that the tibiae and tarsi are black, his type specimen has the tibiae reddish brown and hardly darker than their femora. The only structural character that differs from the general run in usitata is the much stronger pair of discal bristles on the second and third visible tergites of the abdomen. The basal two segments of the antennae and the palpi are also darker, and the dust on the parafacials is greyish white, not noticeably yellow.

Christchurch.

I have two females and one male from Mt. Arthur that have the characters of the abdomen as in the above type and the second antennal segment and palpi black. They have the parafacials differently dusted also, the colour in the female being almost white, while in the male it is less conspicuous and pale greyish white below.

Cerosomyia brouni, Hutton.

The type is a teneral specimen of some species that it will be impossible to identify because it must have been killed shortly after emergence from the puparium and neither the structures nor the colour are developed sufficiently to justify more than a guess at its specific identity. I believe, however, that it is one of the blue forms despite the present lack of that colour on the abdomen and without doubt it has been described under another name in the mature condition. The abdomen has the apical central bristles on the second to fourth tergites and the discals on the second and third well developed. The squamae appear to me to be brown.

Length, 4.5 mm.

Locality, Maketu.

Procissio milleri, n.sp.

A very pretty species, much like certain species of Erythronychia, and readily distinguished from any other in Procissio by the dense lavender grey dust on the head and thorax, the deep black or velvety blackish brown central stripe on the occiput which lines up with the complete similarly coloured central vitta on the mesonotum. The sides of the scutellum are of the same colour as the central vitta on the mesonotum.

Male, Female. Head fuscous in male, brown in female, becoming much paler below, the frons blackened above in male, the occiput with a broad central black stripe in that sex, and each parafacial with a transverse black stripe near base of the antenna that is variable in intensity and width according to the angle from which the head is viewed; in the female the dark parts are usually brown. Dust on frontal orbits, face, and genae denser in male than in female, and more silvery white. Basal two segments of antennae brown, base of third red, remainder of third and all of the aristae black; palpi testaceous yellow to brownish yellow; proboscis shining black. Frons at vertex about two-thirds as wide as one eye, in female wider than eye, widened in front. Vertex with the inner pair of bristles long in both sexes, the ocellars well developed, the outer proclinate orbitals lacking in male, present in female; head much as in lateralis in profile (Fig. 35), but the third antennal segment is not three times as long as second, the arista is not longer than the third antennal segment, and more tapered on apical half.

Thorax black, or dark brown, the surface obscured by dense lavender grey dust that has sometimes a pinkish tinge, the dark central vitta sometimes narrowly pale brown on sides in the female. Usual bristling as follows: Dorsocentrals 3 + 3, acrostichals 1 + 1, prealar long, 2 lateral presuturals, 1 short pteropleural, 1 + 1 sternopleurals, 6 marginal scutellars and no discals.

Legs black in the male, the apices of coxae, sometimes the apices of the femora below, and the entire tibiae brownish yellow; in the female the coxae and femora are usually very little darker than the tibiae. Fore tarsi of the female not at all widened. Bristling as usual.

Abdomen in male dark brown, paler on sides and below, partlyfuscous on dorsum and with checkered pale grey dust, usually with some brown dust along the centre of dorsum which is variable according to the angle from which it is seen; in the female the abdomen is usually reddish brown to fuscous, similarly marked to the male. First visible tergite with a pair of apical central bristles, second and third each with a discal and apical central pair, fourth in female with a transverse discal series of bristles, in male with an additional apical series; all tergites with one median and one or two apical bristles at the lateral curve. Fifth sternite of male much as in albiceps.

Wings normal, whitish at bases when seen from the apices against the light, the veins brown, both cross veins and apical section of fourth darker and with a narrow fuscous or dark brown suffusion. Outer cross vein more markedly bisinuate than in the other species, and the apical section of fourth vein much incurved just above the preapical angle.

Squamae yellowish white, margin yellow. Halteres yellow to brownish yellow.

Length, 7–8 mm.

Holotype, Male, and allotype, Mt. Arthur, 5,000 ft., 23.xii.21 (A. L. Tonnoir). Paratypes, Ohakune, 10.i.20 (D. Miller); Arthur's Pass, 3,500 ft., 23.xii.22 (J. G. Myers); Balloon Hut, 4,300 ft., 8.i.30 (E. S. Gourlay); Salisbury's Opening, 3,600 ft., 6.i.30 (E. S. Gourlay); Beeby's Knob, 26.xii.27 (E. S. Gourlay); Mt. Arthur, 4,500 ft., 21.xii.21 (A. L. Tonnoir).

This very pretty species is dedicated to Dr. D. Miller, who kindly placed in my hands most of the material upon which this report is based.

Procissio albiceps, n.sp. (Fig. 33a).

A rather aberrant species of the genus on account of the narrower frons than is usual in the males, but properly placed herein in my opinion. The general pale grey colour of the insect is an additional character for its recognition.

Male, Female. Head black, densely white dusted, the parafacials almost silvery, the area behind the vibrissae hardly showing any reddish below the dust; antennae black, second segment brownish; palpi fuscous, not noticeably paler basally; interfrontalia black, with a reddish tinge on part centrally in female. Frons of male at vertex less than half that of either eye seen from above, widened to anterior margin, the orbits linear above, widened in front, the armature as in milleri; in the female the frons at vertex is distinctly wider than either eye seen from above, the outer pair of verticals is minute, and each orbit has one to three proclinate outer upper bristles. The parafacial at centre is not as wide as the eye in the male, and wider than it is in the female. The eyes are distinctly haired in both sexes, a character common to the species of the genus. Palpi slightly clubbed in both sexes.

Thorax black, densely whitish grey dusted, the mesonotum with dull black vittae, the central pair narrower, beginning at anterior

margin, interrupted at suture and ceasing about midway from suture to hind margin, the sublateral pair represented by two elongate streaks, one before and the other behind the suture. Chaetotaxy as in milleri. Scutellum in both sexes with six marginal bristles.

Legs black. All tarsi slender and distinctly longer than their tibiae in both sexes, the bristles not very strong.

Wings greyish hyaline, showing white at bases as in milleri, the veins black and unmargined. First posterior cell narrowly open as a rule, sometimes closed in margin, the fourth vein beyond the preapical angle and the outer cross vein not as markedly bent as in milleri.

Abdomen coloured as the thorax, the dust distinctly checkered when seen from varied angles, and a slight brown dusted mark generally round the apical central pairs of bristles on the intermediate tergites in the male. First tergite usually unarmed at apex, second and third in male normally with a pair of apical central and a pair of discal bristles, and the fourth with a discal and apical series, the bristle at centre of lateral curve frequently lacking on the intermediate tergites; female always without apical centrals on first visible tergite and only rarely with any trace of discals on second. Fifth sternite of male as Figure 32.

Squamae white. Halteres yellow.

Length, 7–8 mm.

Holotype, Male, allotype, and one female paratype, Cass, ii.25 (A. L. Tonnoir). Paratypes, Ben Lomond, 14.ii.20 (Fenwick); Otira, 8.ii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir).

Procissio albiceps, var. varians, novum.

This variety is rather darker in general appearance, with a distinct brown mark on each side of the scutellum at its base in both sexes, the brown mark at apex of the intermediate abdominal tergites broader and more distinct, usually present in both sexes, and the upper extremities of the frontal orbits of the female brown.

In structure there are no tangible distinctions, though I have not dissected the hypopygia of the males. The fifth abdominal sternite is similar to that of the typical form in the male. The quite characteristic bristling of the fifth visible tergite of the abdomen of the male mentioned in the key to the species on a preceding page is the same as in the typical form. Palpi yellowish basally.

In two females before me there is a brown suffusion on the greater portion of the mesonotum which I do not regard as sufficient to justify varietal segregation.

Length, 7.5–9 mm.

Holotype, Male, allotype, and 2 paratypes, Salisbury's Opening, 4,000 ft., 16.ii.31 (E. S. Gourlay). Paratypes, Mt. Arthur, 3,000 ft., 2.i.29 (E. S. Gourlay); Ben Lomond (Fenwick); Nelson, 27.xii.21, a male with apical central bristles on the first visible tergite (R. J. Tillyard); Obelisk, 4.iv.20 (D. Miller); Ohakune, 20.xi.19; Maitai Valley, 16.iii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir); Upper Maitai, 26.xi.23 (E. S. Gourlay).

Procissio cana, Hutton.

I have before me the type-specimen of the genotype, which differs from the next preceding one herein in being darker grey dusted, in having the parafacials with a brownish tinge above, the strongest bristle on the vibrissal area much farther from the anterior edge of the raised part (Fig. 33b), the frons at anterior ocellus in the male about as wide as either eye, and the third antennal segment in that sex about four times as long as the second. In the female the third antennal segment is not over three times as long as the second. The underlying colour of the lower face and anterior parts of the genae are reddish brown, and the palpi are usually brownish yellow. There are usually two pairs of presutural acrostichal bristles on the mesonotum and a pair of discal bristles on the scutellum. Squamae white. Fifth sternite of male as Figure 34.

Length, 9–10 mm.

Type locality, Christchurch. Other localities: Cass, male and female; Upper Hororata, Nelson, Dunedin, Mt. Grey, Stephen's Island, Sunnyside.

Procissio cana, var. valida, Hutton.

Procissio valida Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., 1900, p. 55.

Procissio montana Hutton, op. cit.

I have before me the type-specimens of both the above and consider that they belong to the same species, and that it is in all probability merely a variety of cana. The specimens average larger and more robust and are darker in colour, with squamae brownish instead of white. Structurally they are similar, but it is not impossible that careful field work will prove that the two forms are entitled to separation as valid species.

There is no difference between the two type-specimens in the colour of the legs despite the key character given for their separation by Hutton in his paper.

Length, 11–13 mm.

Type localities, Taranaki and Mt. Peel. Other localities: Dunedin, Blackball, Nelson.

Procissio lateralis, n.sp. (Fig. 35).

A robust black species, with the sides of the abdomen more or less noticeably reddish, and the general build more robust than in the other species. The scutellum is also red in centre apically, and it has eight instead of six marginal bristles.

The head (Fig. 35) is much as in cana, though the frons of the male is not as wide, and the arista is more tapered on its apical half. The mesonotum is darker, and has four black vittae anteriorly and a fifth one in centre in front of the scutellum. There is frequently a bristle between the usual two on the presutural lateral area, and the sternopleural bristles are almost invariably 2 + 1.

Legs with the tibiae usually broadly reddish yellow centrally.

Fifth abdominal sternite of the male, as Figure 36, differing from that of any of the other species in having two short inner processes.

minute fine hairs. In some specimens there is a pair of short fine bristles near the apex on disc that may be mistaken for the apical bristles, but in all cases these are higher placed than the strong preapical lateral pair so that they cannot be mistaken for the apicals. For other characters see the description of the genotype given below.

Altaia geniculata, n.sp.

Male, Female. A black, densely brownish grey dusted species, with the legs tawny yellow, the femora sometimes slightly darkened above at apices, and the tarsi black.

Head of male in profile as Figure 44, the frons of that sex about one-fourth of the head width at vertex, widened to anterior margin, the orbits at middle about half as wide as the interfrontalia, each with a long erect outwardly curved bristle near upper extremity and a series of incurved inner marginal bristles, and numerous fine hairs, the latter descending to about middle of parafacial. Female with the frons not wider at vertex than in male, more widened anteriorly with fewer fine hairs on the orbits and a proclinate outer orbital in front of the upper outwardly curved bristle. Antennae black; palpi sometimes yellowish at bases. Eyes short haired.

Thorax black, densely brownish grey dusted, mesonotum with 4 rather distinct black vittae that are interrupted at suture and discontinued about midway from there to hind margin. Dorsocentrals 3 + 3, presutural acrostichals usually 2, sternopleurals 2 + 1, the lower anterior one small.

Legs rather stout, the hind femora of male stouter than usual, the bristling not exceptional; fore tarsus of female not thickened.

Wings greyish hyaline, veins fuscous to black. First posterior cell open, ending very slightly before wing tip, outer cross vein less than one-third of the distance from angle of fourth to inner cross vein; costal thorn variable, but usually distinct.

Abdomen narrowly ovate in male, rather broadly ovate in female, the dust variable in tone, from brown to grey, and distinctly checkered. First to third visible tergites each with a pair of apical central bristles, second and third each with a pair of discal bristles, fourth with more numerous bristles. Fifth sternite in male with a short basal projection and a longer apical downwardly directed apical one when seen in profile (Fig. 45), the fifth visible tergite in that sex with only fine hairs on disc, no strong bristles present.

Squamae brownish in male, almost white in female, of the usual form. Halteres yellow.

Length, 6–7 mm.

Holotype, Male, Dun Mt., 2,000 ft., 15.i.28 (E. S. Gourlay). Allotype, topotypical, 25.i.31 (E. S. Gourlay). Paratypes, Mt. Duppa, 3,500 ft., 6.i.29, Upper Maitai, 13.ii.27 (E. S. Gourlay); Hilltop, 15.i.25, and Riwaka, i.23 (A. L. Tonnoir).

It may be noted here that the palpi show considerable variation in colour, in extremes being either black or tawny yellow, though sometimes they are tawny yellow with infuscated apices.

Platytachina latifrons, n.sp.

This is the species identified by Hutton as Tachina mestor, Walker, and which he considered a true Nemoraea. This is an error, the erect fine hairs on the upper surface of the lower squama which characterize that genus being absent in the New Zealand species. I cannot accept Hutton's identification as correct. Walker's description, while inadequate for present day requirements, is clear enough on certain points to prove that the species now under consideration is not the one he had. In fact, the paragraph by Hutton in which he says that “Walker's statement that the abdomen is narrow and nearly cylindrical must be a mistake” leads one to infer that he rather strained a point to make his species fit the description. The petiolate first posterior cell of the wing and some other characters of Walker's species lead me to believe that it will prove to belong somewhere near Wattia, though it is not possible without further data on the type-specimen to definitely place it in my present paper.

Male, Female. Head brownish yellow, upper half of occiput, the vertex and upper part of frons fuscous to black, interfrontalia red, the frontal orbits and upper part of the parafacials golden yellow dusted, slightly speckled and changeable in different lights, the remainder of the dusting in the face, genae, and lower occiput duller yellow, the central occipital hairs orange-yellow, the others and the bristles black; antennae orange-yellow, third segment usually blackened on margins and apex; aristae black; palpi orange-yellow. Profile as Figure 46; frons at vertex in both sexes almost as wide as one eye, much widened to anterior margin, orbits at middle wider than the interfrontalia, with the usual inner marginal incurved series of fine bristles, one outwardly curved bristle near upper extremity in both sexes, and in the female two or three upper outer proclinate bristles; the ocellars are long, proclinate, and divergent; eyes densely haired. Second segment of the arista almost twice as long as thick.

Thorax brick-red to fulvous yellow, dull, the mesonotum broadly black to dark brown on the disc, with greyish dust in perfect specimens, and but faint traces of four darker vittae, the scutellum and pleura usually entirely without black marks. Postsutural dorsocentrals 4; the presutural lateral area usually with three bristles, the prealar long, sometimes duplicated, presutural acrostichals two or three pairs, sternopleurals usually 2 + 1; scutellum with at least 8 marginal bristles.

Legs coloured as thorax, the fore tarsi of the female browned to infuscated and distinctly widened from before apex of basal to apex of fourth segment, second segment a little over twice as long as its. greatest width.

Wings greyish hyaline, more yellowish basally, veins orange-yellow at bases, merging into brown at apices. Inner cross vein at middle of discal cell, outer at less than one-third as far from preapical angle of fourth as from inner cross vein, bend of fourth; narrowly rounded to subangulate, the vein just above the angle bent inward, outer cross vein sinuate, second section of costa over half as long as first, the first posterior cell open, ending distinctly in front of wing tip.

Abdomen coloured as thorax, first visible tergite almost entirely black above, second and third each with a broad central black mark which is widened in front and behind, fourth with a central anterior marginal black mark. In fresh and unrubbed specimens there is a brownish grey dust on the surface that almost obliterates the markings, but ordinarily the latter are conspicuous. Apex of male abdomen seen from the side as in Figure 47. General form broadly ovate, bristled as noted in key.

Squamae white, margins yellowish. Halteres yellowish brown.

Length, 12–14 mm.

Holotype, Male, and allotype, Eglinton, 31.xii.20 (Fenwick). Paratypes, Lake Peel, 28.ii.21, Mt. Cook, 4.i.29, Mt. Arthur, 4,500 ft., 2.ii.23 (A. Philpott); Mt. Cleughearn, 25.i.17.

Platytachina atricornis, n.sp.

A much darker species than latifrons, only the apical portion of the scutellum and the sides of the first three visible abdominal tergites distinctly brownish red, the ground colour of the head brown, showing but faintly through the dense grey dust on the lower anterior part, the antennae, frons, and palpi black, and the legs of the same colour, only the tibiae centrally reddish brown.

Head in profile much as in latifrons, but the epistome more produced, the frons narrower, at vertex hardly over two-thirds as wide as either eye, the antennae as Figure 48; and the palpi much shorter.

Thorax dull black, the lateral margins of the mesonotum with rather distinct pale grey dust, the disc with four partial, more intensely black, vittae, apical half or more of the scutellum brownish red. Bristling similar to that of latifrons.

Wings greyish hyaline, veins brownish basally, becoming black apically. In arrangement of veins similar to latifrons, and with the same series of four or five setulae at base of third vein above and below.

Abdomen coloured as thorax, the sides of the first three tergites rather broadly but inconspicuously brownish red, the surface with rather dense grey dust on second to fourth tergites except on apices and a narrow central vitta which are black. General form not as broadly ovate as in latifrons, nor as noticeably flat on dorsum, with fine apical central pair of bristles on first visible tergites and one or two similar pairs of discals on second, the latter with four long erect apical central bristles, third tergite with one or two pairs of long discal and a series of long apical bristles that are more conspicuous and stronger than in latifrons, fourth with similarly long bristles on most of its surface; apex of abdomen much as in the preceding species, but the hypopygium is very different, the superior pair of forceps being bent up at apices, and the inferior pair having no group of stiff bristles near base on the inner edge (Fig. 49).

Squamae white, edge of lower one slightly yellowish.

Length, 12 mm.

Holotype, Male, Ben Lomond, 14.ii.20 (Fenwick).

Platytachina major, n.sp.

This species averages larger than any of the others; sometimes specimens attain a length of 15 mm., and in both sexes there is a character that appears to separate it from all its congeners. This consists of a series of widely spaced short spines on the costal vein between humeral vein and the apex of the subcosta that are situated on the upper surface between the usual upper marginal closely placed series and the membrane (Fig. 50). In the other species there are no stout spines, the armature consisting of a more closely placed series of microscopic fine hairs.

Male, Female. Head fuscous, showing brown below the dust on lower anterior part and face, in the male with dense grey dust, in female brownish dusted, the dust least evident on face; interfrontalia undusted when seen from the side, slightly dusted when seen from in front; antennae black, second segment on inner side and apically, and third at base, reddish yellow; palpi reddish yellow. Male with the frons at vertex about one-third as wide as either eye seen from above, widened to anterior margin, the orbits narrow above, widened below like the interfrontalia; vertex with the inner pair of bristles moderately distinct as long as the ocellars, each orbit with a series of inner marginal incurved fine bristles that are very short above and become longer below, laterad of these many rather long fine hairs and below a few bristles, the lower bristle almost opposite middle of second antennal segment and nearer inner than outer margin, the parafacials haired to lower level of eye, the appearance somewhat speckled above. Frons of female at vertex almost as wide as either eye, the orbits widened in front, but the interfrontalia parallel-sided; vertex with all four bristles distinct but not very conspicuous; each orbit with the usual inner marginal series of

incurved bristles, which are quite regular and stronger than in the male, the upper half with two proclinate bristles and above these one outwardly curved bristle, none of which are present in the male, the lateral hairs less numerous and shorter than in the male and not descending as far on parafacials. Face not bifoveolate, almost flat, slightly depressed above vibrissae in profile. Vibrissae about as far above epistome as length of second antennal segment, with a number of moderately long bristles adjacent to them, some of which are above them, but the highest is well below middle of facial ridges and much finer than the lower bristles. Antennae extending to slightly below middle of face, inserted about middle of eye in profile, third segment about 1.75 times as long as second, rounded at apex; arista swollen at base, tapered to middle of third segment, the second segment about as long as thick. Gena about half as high as eye, the haired and slightly raised part extending to level of anterior edge of eye; the eyes distinctly haired; palpi slender, of moderate length; proboscis short. Thorax brownish black, slightly shiny, with rather dense dust, most distinct on the lateral margins, and especially the humeri; in the male the dust is pale grey except on the disc of the mesonotum, where it is brownish, and in the female it is almost all brownish; the mesonotum with four black vittae that do not extend to the posterior margin; scutellum broadly brownish yellow apically. Dorsocentrals rather variable, 2–3 + 4–5, at least two pairs of presutural acrostichals, the other bristles also variable and fine, but in no case is the posterior presutural intra-alar present; sternopleurals 1 + 1; pteropleura with two or three fine bristles amongst the finer hairs; scutellum with at least 8 fine marginal bristles.

Legs brownish yellow, shaded with black or fuscous on part of the femora, and especially the fore pair in the male. Fore tibiae in the female sometimes with the posterodorsal surface weakly bristled as well as the two stronger bristles on the posterior surface; fore tarsus in same sex distinctly widened.

Wings greyish hyaline, slightly pale brown at bases, veins yellowish brown at bases, darker at apices. Venation as in latifrons.

Abdomen brownish yellow, the disc broadly, sometimes almost entirely, black, and with grey dust, the sternites black. Both sexes with the general form broadly ovate and slightly flattened on dorsum, the bristles erect and rather strong, consisting of one apical central and sometimes an anterior pair on first visible tergite, an apical central and two or three discal pairs on second tergite, an almost complete apical series and several pairs of discals on third, and scattered bristles on fourth. A remarkable feature of the male type is that the right side of the fourth tergite is strongly bristled, and the left side has merely long setulose hairs. In one paratype male the abdomen is entirely normal, but in another there is again an asymmetrical feature of the fourth tergite, but here it has apparently been injured, as it is shorter and unarmed on the left side. There are other cases of the same nature in the collection that are listed in this paper.

Squamae white, margins yellowish. Halteres yellowish brown.

Length, 13–17 mm.

Holotype, Male, Hunter Mts., 4,000 ft., 5.i.23. Allotype, Mt. Arthur, 4,500 ft., 2.ii.23 (A. Philpott). Paratypes, Male, Beeby's Knob, 26.xii.27 (E. S. Gourlay); Female, Gordon's Pyramid, January 24 (A. Philpott); one damaged Male, Mt. Arthur, January 24 (A. Philpott).

One of the largest species in the collection, readily distinguished from the other large forms by the base of the stem vein, flat face, and other characters.

Platytachina difficilis, n.sp.

A considerably smaller species than major, differing in the narrower frons of the male, the lack of bristles on the first visible tergite and disc of second, and the generally black femora.

Male. Head brownish red, infuscated on frons and upper half or less of the parafacials, and the occiput, the raised part of genae not as dark but grey dusted, the other dark parts also grey to brownish grey dusted, antennae with the basal two segments and the narrow base of third of the same colour as the pale parts of the head, the remainder of third segment and the aristae black; palpi reddish yellow. Frons at vertex fully as wide as third antennal segment and about one-fifth as wide as one eye seen from above; vertex with numerous long setulose hairs but no well developed bristles; ocellars generally quite distinct, the orbits with numerous fine inner marginal incurved bristles that become longer anteriorly, and laterad of these numerous much shorter finer hairs that descend to or below level of middle of third antennal segment, the parafacial comparatively wider than in major, the epistome more produced, and the third antennal segment less than 1.5 times as long as second. The aristae are swollen on less than their basal halves.

Thorax black, slightly shiny, with grey dust, and four black vittae on the mesonotum that are not continued to posterior margin; scutellum broadly reddish brown at apex. Armature as in major, but the lower anterior sternopleural bristle is usually present.

Legs black, coxae behind, apices of femora ventrally, and all of tibiae brownish yellow.

Abdomen black, with grey dust that is slightly checkered, the lateral curves of tergites more or less broadly brick-red to brownish yellow. First visible tergite without central bristles, second without discals but with two to four apical central bristles; third with at least one pair of discals and a complete series at apex; fourth with scattered bristles on almost the entire surface; fifth with rather closely placed and moderately strong bristles; sixth fine haired except at apex, where there are a few fine bristles in a transverse series. Hypopygium seen from the side as Figure 52.

Squamae tinged with brownish, margins yellow. Halteres brownish yellow. Costal vein of wing as in Fig. 51.

Length, 11–12 mm.

apical inner angle, and lies close against the lateral edge of the scutellum, most frequently touching it on the straight part of its inner edge. The eyes are not noticeably haired unless when seen under a magnification of at least 34, and then there are hardly visible minute widely scattered hairs. Frons in both sexes about one-third of the head width, with the usual inner marginal series of incurved bristles on each orbit which number usually four and are strong, the lower part of the series divergent and more closely placed, usually three in number, of which the anterior one is slightly below the antennal base, and three upper outer bristles, the two anterior outwardly and forwardly directed, the upper one outwardly curved; all four verticals present, the inner pair the longer, and the ocellars well developed. Parafacial in profile rather wide above, narrowed below, above vibrissae almost linear; vibrissae strong, a few setulae above them; gena not over one-fourth of the eye height, haired to almost anterior level of eye; face not carinate, slightly depressed; antennae normal, third segment about 1.5 as long as second; arista swollen on basal fifth or less, second segment about as long as thick; proboscis and palpi normal. Thorax with prosternum and centre of propleura bare; postsutural dorsocentrals 3, the presutural posterior intra-alar lacking; scutellum with but 4 marginal and no discal bristles; sternopleurals 1 + 1; postscutellum not large, falling well short of apex of scutellum. First posterior cell of wing dosed, ending almost in wing tip; costa with some distinct bristles; outer cross vein about midway between inner cross vein and bend of fourth, the latter subangulate; third vein setulose at base. Abdomen with apical bristles on all segments and discals on all but first visible tergite.

Genotype, the following species.

Neotryphera atra, n.sp.

Male, Female. Head black, interfrontalia dull brownish black, orbits glossy, face with greyish dust; apex of second antennal segment brownish red; palpi rufous yellow. Profile as Figure 54.

Thorax glossy black, humeral angles grey dusted, the pleura slightly so. Dorsocentrals 2 + 3, acrostichals 2 + 1–2, notopleural bristles subequal in length, prealar moderately long. In one male specimen there is an extra bristle on one side between the usual lateral and apical bristles.

Legs black, stout, the fore tibia with four or five irregular anterodorsal and two posterior bristles; mid tibia with the submedian ventral bristle long; hind tibia with 2 to 4 unequal posterodorsal and anterodorsal, and usually two anteroventral bristles; fore tarsi of female very slightly thickened apically.

Wings slightly smoky, veins brown anteriorly, yellowish basally and posteriorly. Costal vein with some irregularity of the bristling, most of them longer than the diameter of the vein, the one at apex of the subcosta longer than the inner cross vein. Inner cross vein close to middle of the discal cell, outer cross vein not much nearer to the bend of fourth than to inner and about its own length from apex of fifth; third vein with a few basal setulae above and below; apical part of the venation as Figure 55.

Macquartia vexata, Hutton.

This species is readily distinguished from any other in New Zealand by the presence of dark spots in the wing cells that usually enclose short vein-like lines.

Male, Female. General colour black, slightly shining, with whitish grey dust on the head, more brownish dust on the thorax and abdomen, mesonotum with four rather poorly defined black vittae, abdominal dorsum with irregular large black marks on centre of the tergites in the male, less marked in the female, the dusting checkered; antennae and palpi black; hairs and bristles on thorax, abdomen, and legs black.

Head of male in profile as Figure 58; frons in that sex at vertex about one-seventh of the head width, the orbits without proclinate outer bristles, that of the female nearly one-third of the head width at vertex, widened anteriorly, each orbit with two proclinate outer bristles; face with a weak central vertical carina.

Legs black, the tibiae of female sometimes brownish centrally; fore tarsi quite conspicuously widened, the basal segment gradually widened from near base to apex.

Fourth wing vein more bent in just above preapical angle than usual, much as in Graphotachina.

Length, 6–8 mm.

The type-specimen, of which I figure the head and apex of abdomen (Fig. 59) is from Wellington. Other specimens are from Cass, Nelson, and Governor's Bay.

Macquartia claripennis, Malloch.

Originally described from a female which is now before me. This species has the head much as in vexata, but the frons is wider, the second antennal segment is much more strongly bristled, and the antennae are considerably longer. The other distinguishing characters are listed in the foregoing key.

I have before me a male which I tentatively refer here, though there are some characters of it that differ so much from those of that sex that I may be in error in allocation. The second antennal segment is not more strongly bristled than usual, the first visible tergite of the abdomen has a pair of apical central bristles, but I can find no trace of the discal pair of the second tergite which are quite prominent in the female. In the exposed hypopygial structures it agrees well with vexata. The first posterior cell of the wing has, as in the female, a distinct though rather short petiole, and neither the cross veins nor any of the others are clouded. Frons at vertex one-fourth of the head width.

Length, 10 mm.

Type-locality, Otira. Locality of Male, Waihopai, 23.ix.08, No. 494 (D. Miller).

Macquartia flavohirta, n.sp.

A more slender species than either of the above two, of a general black colour, slightly shining, and quite densely grey dusted, the head on interfrontalia and above the vibrissal angles on the lower part of the parafacials reddish-brown, antennae and palpi black, the latter more yellowish in the female; thoracic dorsum with the usual four black vittae, the abdomen with a large irregular black mark on each tergite in the male, in the female merely black and grey checkered. Wing veins not clouded. Most of the hairs and bristles on the lower part of thorax and abdomen as well as many of those on the coxae and bases of the femora golden-yellow, the others black.

Male, Female. Head higher in comparison with its length than in the two preceding species, the face shallowly bifoveolate, the antennae as long as in claripennis. Frons of male at vertex about one-seventh of the head width, that of the female at vertex one-fourth of the head width, bristled as usual.

The dorsocentral bristles 3 + 3, scutellum with six marginal bristles.

Legs black, fore tarsi of the female much widened.

Wings usually with the first posterior cell open, sometimes closed and short petiolate.

Abdomen narrowly ovate in male, broadly ovate in female, in both sexes with a pair of apical central bristles on first to third visible tergites and a pair of discals on second and third. Apex in male similar to that of vexata, the sternites not as densely bristled as in that species.

Length, 7–9 mm.

Holotype, Male, and one Male paratype, Riccarton Bush, 10.xi.24.

Allotype, Wellington (D. Miller). Paratypes: Ranfurly, Dunedin, and Flagstaff (D. Miller).

Macquartia nigrihirta, n.sp.

Similar in general habitus to flavohirta, but with no yellow hairs or bristles on the thorax, abdomen or legs.

Male, Female. General colour and structure as the preceding species, differing in the male in having the frons at vertex about one-fifth of the head width, the first visible tergite of the abdomen with four apical central bristles, the central two a little in front of the other two, and the apex of the abdomen as Figure 60, the fifth sternite with a pair of short basal processes and the slender backward extensions of the superior forceps much shorter.

The female has the fore tarsi less widened than in the preceding two species, but still obviously widened. The first posterior cell of the wing is open in all the available specimens, and the clouding of the inner cross vein, though it might be considered a trivial character, is constant and valuable in associating the sexes of this species.

Zealandotachina subtilis (Hutton).

This is evidently a common species, as there are many specimens in the present collection, most of them males. The entirely black antennae and legs (Fig. 62), with the presence of golden-yellow hairs on the genae and their lower edges, as well as many similarly coloured hairs and bristles on the venter of the thorax and abdomen and the coxae and bases of the femora readily distinguish the species from any of its allies.

The frons of the male is not wider than the third segment. The male has usually a pair of strong apical central bristles on the first visible tergite and a pair of discals on the second that are lacking in the female. The male hypopygium has the superior forceps peculiarly formed, their apices seen from the side as in Figure 61, and the posterior extension short and stout; the fifth sternite is not exceptional in form, as shown in the figure referred to.

Length, 7—9.5 mm.

Type-locality: Wellington, from whence I have seen a number of additional specimens in the collection of Dr. Miller. Additional localities: Wilton's Bush, Durville Is., Riwaka, Day's Bay, Silver-stream, Stephen's Is., and Pokororo. Taken in November to January.

Zealandotachina nigrifemorata, n.sp.

This species has much the same appearance as the genotype, but there are a number of black bristles on the lower edge of the genae behind the anterior diagonal series below the vibrissa, the tibiae in the male are always brownish yellow, and the legs with the exception of the tarsi are brownish yellow in the female. There are numerous golden-yellow hairs and bristles on the venter of the thorax and abdomen and also on the coxae and bases of the femora as in subtilis.

In structure the principal distinctions are to be found in the wider frons of the male, which is distinctly wider than the third antennal segment and about twice as wide as the narrowest point of the parafacial in profile; the lack of any bristle between the usual two on the presutural sublateral area, the much longer antennae, which are about 1.5 times as long as the height of the gena below centre of eye, with the third segment fully 2.5 times as long as the second. The abdomen is the same in general features in both sexes as in subtilis, the male having the third and fourth sternites with strong and rather numerous bristles apically, though they are more conspicuous because of the less dense yellow hairs and bristles, and the hypopygium is differently constructed (Fig. 61c). The costal thorn is small as in subtilis, and the first posterior cell is generally open.

Length, 6—9 mm.

Holotype, Male, allotype, and 10 paratypes, Cass, February and November (A. L. Tonnoir). Paratypes: Ohakune, Pokako, Wallace-town, Lake Moana, Medford, Dun Mt., and Salisbury's Opening. Twenty-three specimens.

Zealandotachina varipes, n.sp.

This species differs noticeably from the two dealt with above in having no golden-yellow hairs and bristles on the venter of the thorax and abdomen nor on the bases of the femora. It is also marked in the male by the variable amount of brownish yellow colour on the sides of the abdomen, neither of the others having the sides of the abdomen pale, and the abdomen is less checkered on the dorsum, the dusting being more confined to the basal halves of the tergites and their apical halves black. There are a number of male specimens of several types before me which may be accorded varietal rank on the basis of the present material, but further collecting may prove that these are really valid species. I designate them as merely varieties meanwhile and below present a key for their separation. It must also be borne in mind that it is entirely possible that there will be found to be so many intermediate forms in nature that the proposed varietal segregations cannot be maintained. I leave it to subsequent workers to determine the facts.

Zealandotachina varipes, var. varipes, nov.

This variety is represented by two rather small dark examples in which the frontal orbits are silvery grey and the parafacials are similarly dusted to lower level of the eyes, all the coxae are partly blackened, and the sides of the abdomen are slightly brownish yellow. The wings are slightly browned basally, and the squamae are brownish yellow.

Frons at narrowest point not wider than third antennal segment and slightly wider than the narrowest point of the parafacial, the latter with a few fine hairs below the lower frontal bristle about level of apex of second antennal segment, the third antennal segment hardly longer than the second.

Thorax black, with dense grey dust, the four black mesonotal vittae rather diffuse; seen from behind, the submedian pair narrow, the sublaterals very much wider, both pairs most distinct in front of the suture. Presutural lateral area with but two bristles; sternopleurals 2 + 1.

Legs normal in structure, claws of the fore pair as long as the fourth and fifth tarsal segments combined and longer than the mid and hind pairs.

Wings with the first posterior cell closed in both specimens, but proably variable in this respect, inner cross vein at middle of the discal cell, costal thorn rather well developed.

Abdomen narrowly ovate, slightly depressed, with a pair of apical central bristles on first and second visible tergites, and discals on second and third, the fifth sternite projecting downward keel-like, but more rounded in profile than in the two preceding species.

Female. I am associating with this variety a number of specimens taken at the same time and place which differ markedly from the male in having the legs except the tarsi fulvous to tawny yellow, the second antennal segment brownish yellow, the frontal orbits and face brownish yellow dusted, and the pleura and some part of the abdcminal venter of the same general colour.

Length, 5.5—7 mm.

Type, Male, allotype, and 8 paratypes, Cass, November and February (A. L. Tonnoir).

There are three other females, placed separately in the key, in which the second antennal segment is black, and which have some other distinctive characters, but I am uncertain of their varietal association.

Localities, Mt. Arthur and Waiho (A. L. Tonnoir).

Zealandotachina varipes, var. fumata, nov.

A much darker variety than the typical one, with the wings blackened basally, the legs more extensively blackened, the squamae dark brown, and the entire frontal orbits and the parafacials to the lower edge of the eye dark velvety brown. In the other characters there is a marked resemblance, the structures being similar.

Length, 7 mm.

Holotype, Male, and one paratype, Salisbury's Opening, 4,000 ft., 16.ii.31 (E. S. Gourlay); one paratype, Otira, 7.ii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir).

Zealandotachina varipes, var. fuscata, nov.

This variety is distinguished from all the others by the entirely black femora. The wings are even darker than in fumata and so also are the squamae.

Length, 5—6 mm.

Holotype, and one paratype, Waiho, January, 1922 (A. L. Tonnoir). Two paratypes, Ohakune (D. Miller).

Zealandotachina varipes, var. fuscata, nov.

This is a markedly paler insect, with the black markings on the femora much more reduced, their extent on the posterior surface never attaining the lower edge, and the mid and hind pairs being frequently without marks.

I figure the dorsal aspect of the left side of the male hypopygium to show the striking distinctions from that of sublilis, the superior forceps in particular being very different, consisting of a pair of closely adherent slender processes (Fig. 63).

Length, 7-5-9 mm.

Holotype, Male, Mt. Grey, N. Canterbury, 30.ix.28 (E. S. Gourlay). Paratypes, Mt. Ida, 20.ii.22; Otira, 8.ii.22 (A. L. Tonnoir); Dun Mt., 30.x.21 (A. Philpott); and two without locality labels.

Zealandotachina varipes, var. strigipes, nov.

Quite similar to strigipes in general characters, but with denser grey dust, that on the face and lower parafacials yellowish, the mesonotum when seen from in front with the vittae merely grey, and the legs with the dark femoral stripe confined to the apical halves of the fore pair.

I should have been inclined, without an examination of the hypopygium, to consider this merely a rather aberrant example of the preceding variety but for the much wider frons, which is about 1.5.

times as wide at its narrowest point than the third antennal segment and has the orbits stronger bristled, with one bristle at the upper extremity of the series outwardly curved. The fifth abdominal sternite has the processes in profile even more prominent, and shining black.

Length, 7 mm.

Holotype, Aniseed Valley, 1–4.xii.23 (A. L. Tonnoir).

Zealandotachina varipes, var. lata, nov.

A black species, but slightly shiny, with dense pale grey dust on the head, thorax and abdomen, the mesonotum with the usual four black vittae, the submedian pair narrow, the sublateral pair much wider, neither complete, the bases of the abdominal tergites densely pale grey dusted, becoming brownish black at apices. Antennae entirely black, palpi yellow, slightly darkened at apices. Legs black, grey dusted, all trochanters, extreme bases of mid and hind femora, and the entire tibiae tawny yellow. Wings hyaline. Squamae slightly yellowish brown.

Head a little more protuberant at bases of antennae and epistome than in the next preceding species, the frons at vertex in the male one-fourth of the head width, the orbits at middle slightly narrower than the interfrontalia, each with a series of quite strong inner marginal incurved bristles that diverge below, the lowermost about opposite level of apex of second antennal segment and below it some very fine hairs, the uppermost strong and erect, with tip incurved, and with two outer bristles opposite the ocelli that are outwardly curved, the upper one shorter; ocellars well developed, outer verticals about half as long as the stronger inner pair. Eyes with distinct hairs. Third antennal segment about 1.5 as long as second, and nearly twice as wide as narrowest part of the parafacial. Genal hairs and bristles all black, the height of gena at middle about half the length of antenna; palpi longer than the latter, slightly dilated at apices.

Thorax bristled as in varipes, the scutellum with six well developed marginal bristles.

Legs normal, the hind femora with much shorter and finer bristles at apices of the posteroventral surface than in varipes.

Abdomen narrowly ovate, with the same bristles as in varipes, the fifth sternite not as much exposed in profile, the inner edges of the processes narrowly keeled when pressed together.

Length, 6 mm.

Holotype, Waiho, 25.i.22 (A. L. Tonnoir). Abdomen broken off and gummed to a card below the specimen, and some of the legs missing.

Zealandotachina quadriseta, n.sp.

This species is extremely like setigera, but it differs from it and all the other species now before me in having but four well-developed scutellar bristles in both sexes, the usual basal pair being absent. Usually when the number of scutellars is reduced in the New Zealand members of this family except in Trypherina, it is the

apical pair and not the basal one that is minute or lacking. In most respects there is a very striking resemblance in the male to setigera, but the frons is a little narrower and lacks the outer divergent bristles near the upper extremity of each orbit. The palpi are also in the main dark brown to fuscous. In the only female available the palpi are much paler, almost as in the male of setigera, and the frons is normal for this sex. The fore tarsi of the female are as in varipes. In both species the bristle on the underside of the costa at apex of the subcostal vein is longer than the inner cross vein.

Length, 6–7 mm.

Holotype, Male, and allotype, Kumara (J. W. Campbell). Paratype, Male, Cass, 28.xi.24 (A. L. Tonnoir).

It might be well to note here that there are no backward extended paired processes to the superior hypopygial processes such as characterize tenuis and its allies.

Zealandotachina infuscata, n.sp.

I distinguish this species on the basis of the female only. It is a very small insect, with less evident grey dust on the thorax and abdomen than usual in the genus and only the tibiae partly brownish yellow. The fore tarsi are much dilated (Fig. 64), and the abdomen has distinct pairs of bristles on the apex in centre of the first three visible tergites and a pair of discals on the second and third. The squamae are yellowish white, palpi fuscous, and in general the species is very similar to varipes in the chaetotaxy.

Length, 4 mm.

Holotype, Ruapehu, 7.i.22 (Fenwick).

Zealandotachina quadrivittata, n.sp.

A black species, with quite dense grey dust on the thorax and abdomen, the former with the usual four dark vittae, the abdomen changeably checkered with grey and black. Antennae entirely black, palpi fuscous, yellowish at bases in female. The legs are tawny yellow with black tarsi and a dark dorsal stripe on the fore femora.

Frons of male at vertex about as wide as third antennal segment and wider than narrowest part of the parafacial, with moderately strongly inner marginal incurved bristles on entire extent and one upper outwardly curved bristle. Third antennal segment about 1.5 times as long as second, the entire antenna little more than as long as the height of gena. Frons of female at vertex about one-fourth of the head width, much widened to anterior margin, with the usual bristles of that sex.

Abdomen narrowly ovate, with four bristles in centre of apex of first visible tergite, discals on second and third. Fifth sternite with the processes large, longer than wide, rounded at apices, with some moderately long bristles and hairs. Hypopygium with a pair of slender shining black backwardly directed processes that are longer than the processes of the fifth sternite and bristly haired, longer so apically.

Female. Fore tarsi as in varipes.

Length, 6–7.5 mm.

Holotype, Male, Ruapehu, 7.i.22 (Fenwick). Allotype, Queenstown (D. Miller). Paratype, Wanganui, 5.i.22 (J. G. Myers).

A female which I place doubtfully here has the palpi much paler than in the other specimens and the frons over one-fourth of the head width at vertex, but it is in other respects so similar that I prefer to consider it as quadrivittata.

Locality, Salisbury's Opening, 4,000 ft., 15.ii.31 (E. S. Gourlay).

Zealandotachina lamellata, n.sp.

A smaller species than quadrivittata, with the same general colour markings, though the base of the third antennal segment is narrowly red, and in one specimen there is more fuscous colour on the dorsal surface of the fore femora and both the mid and hind pairs are slightly infuscated apically.

Structurally it is distinguished by the wider frons of the male, which at the vertex is one-fifth or more of the head width and has one or two outwardly curved bristles on each orbit near the upper extremity. The first visible abdominal tergite has but two apical central bristles, and the hypopygial pair of backwardly directed processes are rather shorter and less bristly haired.

Length, 6 mm.

Holotype and one paratype, Mt. Grey, _N. Canterbury, 30.ix.28 (E. S. Gourlay).

Zealandotachina tenuis, n.sp.

This species differs from all others in the genus by the greater downward extension of the fine hairs on the parafacials, these extending to, or below, the middle. The parafacial is also wider than the third antennal segment and is comparatively less narrowed below than in varipes and its closest relatives. The general colour is much as in quadrivittata.

Frons of the male at vertex about twice as wide as third antennal segment and wider than narrowest part of the parafacial, with a series of inner marginal incurved bristles and the outer bristling of the upper part quite variable, but usually at least one outwardly curved bristle present. Antennae black, apex of second segment usually brownish yellow. Palpi yellow. Gena as high as antennal length, black haired and bristled.

Thorax bristled as in subtilis, usually four bristles in a diagonal series on the presutural lateral area. Scutellars six.

Legs tawny yellow, with a black stripe on dorsum of fore and usually mid femora. Fore tarsi of the female with the basal segment dilated from base to apex, second segment as wide as apex of third, third narrower than second, fourth and fifth not noticeably widened.

Abdomen of male more broadly ovate than in varipes, with a pair of long apical central bristles on first visible tergite and at least one pair of discals on second and third, the apex as in Figure 65, the backwardly directed pair of processes not lanceolate, more uniformly slender than in lamellata and with much longer hairs

(Fig. 66). The female has a pair of strong apical central bristles on first and second visible tergites and discals on second and third.

Length, 8–10 mm.

Holotype, Male, Mt. Arthur, 4,500 ft., 21.xii.21 (A. L. Tonnoir). Allotype, Ruapehu, 7.i.22 (Fenwick). Paratypes: Salisbury's Opening, 3,600 ft., 6.i.30 (E. S. Gourlay); Ruapehu, 7.i.22 (Fenwick); Flagstaff, Dunedin, 10.xii.21; Otago (D. Miller).

Zealandotachina latifrons, n.sp.

A small species of the same general appearance and colour as varipes, var. lata, the legs similarly coloured, and the face yellow dusted. The abdomen is also yellowish below basally. The frons, however, is one-fourth of the head width at vertex and much widened in front, while each orbit has two upper outer outwardly directed bristles and in front of these, near middle of orbit, one proclinate bristle, much as in typical females of the genus. The abdomen has the pair of apical central bristles on the first visible tergite and the pair of discals on the second reduced to mere short bristly hairs, which is never the case in any variety of varipes seen by me. The first posterior cell of the wing is short petiolate, but this character is not of much value in this genus, there being much variation in this part of the venation.

Length, 4.5 mm.

Holotype, no data (Coll. D. Miller).

Subgenus Calosia, novum.

I am erecting for a single female specimen this subgenus on the basis of the following characters distinguishing it from typical Zealandotachina: Parafacials almost as in Z. tenuis, with some hairs descending to middle, aristae inserted about one-third from base of third antennal segment, thickened to well beyond the middle of third segment, fore tarsi slightly and uniformly thickened from base to apex.

Zealandotachina (Calosia) binigra, n.sp.

A very pretty small deep black species, with the frons sooty or velvety black except on minute shining dots at bases of the bristles; the parafacials except at upper and lower extremities, the lower half of back of head, and the raised part of the genae, silvery white dusted; antennae and palpi black. Thorax glossy black, with the four mesonotal vittae sooty or velvety black, interrupted at suture and not continued to hind margin, the posterior half of the mesopleura and upper part of the sternopleura silvery white dusted. Abdomen glossy black, with silvery white dust on bases of second to fourth tergites inclusive, the dust appearing interrupted when seen from different angles on second and third, and widely interrupted on middle on fourth tergite. Legs black. Wings brownish hyaline. Squamae white. Knobs of halteres pale yellow.

Frons at vertex nearly one-third of the head width, widened in front, each orbit with three outer bristles, the anterior one proclinate, the other two more outwardly curved. Antennae about as

Medinella nigrifemorata, n.sp.

Male. A black species, with the tibiae dirty yellow, darker at bases, the squamae white, halteres yellow, and the wings slightly brownish hyaline. The frontal orbits and parafacials are silvery white dusted, the genae almost as densely dusted, becoming less so behind, the antennae black, and the palpi concolorous. The thorax is dark grey dusted, with the usual four dark vittae on the mesonotum poorly defined, and the abdomen is almost glossy, with greyish white dust at the bases of the second to fourth visible tergites that is slightly checkered and does not extend distinctly to apices.

Head in profile as Figure 67. Frons at vertex not over one-sixth of the head width, the orbits narrower at narrowest point than the interfrontalia at same point, with a series of incurved inner marginal bristles of moderate length and one outwardly curved upper bristle; all four verticals distinct though not strong, the ocellars not well developed; lower frontal bristle opposite base of antenna; parafacials bare. Eyes almost entirely devoid of hairs.

Thorax with the dorsocentrals 3+3, 2 pairs of presutural acrostichals, the prealar long, the posterior presutural intra-alar lacking, sternopleurals 2+1, scutellum with six marginal bristles, the apical pair longer than the basal pair, and no discals present.

Legs rather stout, the mid femur with the single posteroventral bristle near base about as long as diameter of the femur; hind tibia with one bristle in the anterodorsal and another in the posterodorsal series beyond middle much longer than the others.

Both costal thorns fully as long as the inner cross vein; section of costa between apices of subcostal and first veins not half as long as the preceding one; outer cross vein nearly three times as far from inner cross vein as from bend of fourth, the fourth almost straight and oblique beyond the bend, ending a little before wing tip, the first posterior cell open; third vein with a few setulae at extreme base above and below.

Abdomen subcylindrical, slightly tapered to apex; first visible tergite with a pair of long apical central bristles, second with a similar pair of discals and a pair of central apicals, third with a pair of discals and an almost complete apical series, fourth with three or four irregular series of long bristles, fifth concealed, sixth moderately bristly, seventh weakly haired, the long pair of finely haired slender hypopygial processes extending proximad of apex of sixth tergite; fifth sternite large, processes broad at apices, depressed along inner edges and raised into a thin plate at apices, below which is glossy black, the outer exposed parts grey dusted and with bristly hairs which become longer at apices, each process with a short inwardly directed projection at base on inner edge.

Lower squamae widened behind, broadly rounded at apex.

Length, 6 mm.

Holotype, Mt. Arthur, 5,000 ft., 23.xii.21 (A. L. Tonnoir).

An aberrant specimen which may belong here has two strong bristles on the basal half of the posteroventral surface of the mid femur, and no apical bristles on the scutellum. It may really belong to a distinct species, but the other characters are in such close agreement that I leave the single male available tentatively as nigrifemorata.

Locality, Arthur's P., 9.xii.20 (E. H. A.)

Medinella flavofemorata, n.sp.

Very similar. to the preceding species, differing essentially in the yellow legs, of which only the tarsi are black, the more brownish than grey dust of the thorax and abdomen, more especially of the latter, and its greater extension over the tergites. The palpi are also paler, yellowish at bases.

In structure there is very little distinction, though the first posterior cell of the wing is narrower at apex, the fifth abdominal sternite has more bristly armature, and there are more and stronger hairs on the fourth sternite (Fig. 68).

Length, 6 mm.

Holotype, Male, Cass, 28.xi.24 (A. L. Tonnoir). Paratype, No. 831, Flagstaff Hill, Dunedin, 29.xii.12 (D. Miller); Astrolabe, Nelson, 1.i.12 (D. Miller); Nelson, Oct. 17 (A. L. Tonnoir), and one from Dr. Miller's collection with No. 278b.

One female which I place with this species differs in having the frons at the vertex about one-fourth of the head width, each orbit with two outwardly curved upper and one proclinate lower bristles on the upper half laterad of the inner marginal bristles, the abdomen rather broadly ovate, with a pair of central apical bristles on the first and second visible tergites, and a pair of discals on second and third. The fore tarsi are very slightly dilated beyond the basal segment.

Locality, Astrolabe, Nelson, 1.i.12 (D. Miller).

Medinella albifrons, n.sp.

Male. A small black species, with the head densely white dusted, the frontal orbits and parafacials more or less silvery, the antennae

black, palpi black with a yellowish tinge at bases, thorax with four black dorsal vittae, the sublateral pair interrupted in front and at suture, the scutellum brown at base, abdomen with dense grey dusting like the thorax, with first to third visible tergites each black or dark brown at apices, more broadly so centrally, the fourth less noticeably dark at apex; legs black, grey dusted, mid and hind femora at bases and all of the tibiae brownish yellow. Wings greyish hyaline, veins fuscous. Calyptrae white.

Head in profile as in nigrifemorata Frons at narrowest point about one-sixth of the head width, the orbits about as wide as, or wider than, the interfrontalia, all densely white or greyish white dusted, the bristling rather strong, similar to that of nigrifemorata, the ocellars about as long as the upper orbitals. Genal bristling strong below.

Legs stout, bristled as in nigrifemorata.

Costal thorn long, venation much as in nigrifemorata, but the outer cross vein is not over twice as far from inner as it is from the preapical angle of fourth vein; first posterior cell open, ending a little in front of wing tip.

Abdomen subcylindrical, tapered to apex, with the dorsal bristling strong and similar in arrangement to that of nigrifemorata. Fifth sternite with the processes as Figure 69, the hypopygium with a pair of slender, inconspicuous, backwardly directed processes that are slightly spatulate at apices and furnished with a few very short fine hairs.

Length, 5 mm.

Holotype, Cass, February, 1925 (A. L. Tonnoir).

A second specimen, in rather damaged condition, differs from the type in being darker coloured, with the mesonotal vittae and the dorsal dark marks on the abdomen more extensive. Both have the posterior presutural intra-alar bristle present and stronger than in the next species.

Locality, Queenstown, Otago, 22.ii.12 (D. Miller).

Medinella varipes, n.sp.

Male. A much darker species than albifrons, with the frontal orbits and upper half or more of the parafacials brown dusted, the thoracic dorsum and abdominal tergites more diffusely marked, and the mid and hind femora and trochanters more conspicuously yellow. The structures are very similar, but the bristling is finer and the disc of the scutellum has only one or two setulose hairs besides the short hairs instead of several rather noticeable bristles. The fifth sternite is also more triangular at apices of the processes.

Female. Similar to the female of flavofemorata, differing as noted in key.

Length, 5 mm.

Holotype, Male, Cass, February, 1925 (A. L. Tonnoir). Allotype, and 1 paratype, Greenstone R., 1.i.21 (Fenwick). Paratype, Male, damaged, Kawari Is. (D. Miller).

Genus Graphotachina, novum.

This genus belongs to that group in which there are no hairs on the parafacials below level of the base of antennae, the face is shallowly bifoveolate, the parafacial in profile is about as wide as the third antennal segment, the eyes are distinctly haired, the frons of the male is about one-third of the head width, and the second segment of the arista is about twice as long as thick. The scutellum has usually six marginal bristles and the postsutural dorsocentrals are in three or four pairs, generally the latter. The abdomen is moderately broad ovate, with apical bristles on all visible tergites, and discals on all but the first. The distinguishing character lies in the wing venation, the fourth vein beyond the preapical angle being very much incurved into the cell just above the angle, and the outer cross vein is much bent (Fig. 70).

Genotype, the following new species.

Graphotachina sinuata, n.sp.

Male, Female. Head reddish brown, raised part of the genae the occiput, and frontal orbits black or fuscous, the interfrontalia dull black, the orbits, parafacials and genae silvery white dusted, the intensity of the dusting varying according to the angle from which it is seen; antennae black, basal two segments brown, base of third narrowly red palpi fuscous, reddish basally. Frons of male at vertex over one-fourth of the head width, widened anteriorly, the orbits linear above, widened in front, with an inner marginal series of strong incurved bristles and two or three outer bristles on upper half that are sometimes almost proclinate; frons of the female a little wider than that of the male, with two or three outer proclinate bristles on upper half and a series of inner marginal incurved bristles as in the male. Profile as Figure 71.

Thorax black, with changeable silvery white dusting, the mesonotum with four black vittae, humeral angles and scutellum largely red. Dorsocentrals usually 3 + 4; three pairs of acrostichals in front, the posterior pair rather close to the suture.

Legs in male black, the tibiae brownish yellow; in female the femora are also largely brownish yellow. Bristling as usual; fore tarsi of female very little wider than the mid pair.

Wings hyaline, veins black, with a fuscous cloud at base of costa to just beyond humeral cross vein, another beginning at apices of basal cells, most evident on costa and along the veins, fading out about middle, but the cross veins and other veins more or less dark margined. Apical venation as Figure 70. Costal thorn not developed; third vein haired at base above and below.

Abdomen coloured as thorax, in the male with some red on sides of most of the tergites, on base of fourth, and the hypopygium and fifth sternite, the bases of all tergites rather broadly silvery white dusted, the intensity changing with the angle from which the surface is viewed. Processes of fifth sternite broad, rounded at apices, without exceptional armature; hypopygium with two rather short slender finely-haired backwardly-directed processes.

Subgenus Neotachina, s. str.

Neotachina (Neotachina) obtusa, n.sp.

A robust species of predominantly black colour, with distinct grey dust on head, thorax and abdomen, the thorax distinctly quadrivittate with black, the sides of the abdomen partly reddish yellow on basal half, the dust checkered on dorsum. Legs black, the hind tibiae showing only slightly brownish. Wings hyaline, the alulae or anal lobes white. Squamae yellowish white, with white fringe. Halteres brown.

Head fuscous, the ground colour in facial foveae and vibrissal region red. Antennae black, third segment narrowly red at base on inner side; palpi brownish yellow. Frons black, lunule reddish brown, orbits, parafacials, and raised part of genae, pale grey dusted. Width of frons at narrowest point not half as great as that of third antennal segment, the hairs ceasing a short distance from anterior ocellus; ocellar bristles and inner verticals well developed, the latter cruciate in type; parafacial in profile over twice as wide as third antennal segment and about half as wide as eye, the latter distinctly haired, the hairs on parafacials descending to lower level of eye; antennae hardly longer than width of parafacial and much shorter than height of gena at centre; second segment of the arista about as long as thick, third tapered from base to beyond middle

gena at centre about half as high as eye; palpi longer than antennae, apical section of the proboscis slender, nearly as long as eye height; face rather markedly bifoveolate, the central carina visible in profile beyond edge of the parafacial; antennae inserted below middle of eye in profile.

Scutellum entirely black, with changeable grey dust, and six marginal bristles, some of the hairs on apical half of disc very long. Presutural lateral area with two bristles; posterior notopleural bristle duplicated as in most males of the subgenus; sternopleurals 2 + 1.

Legs black, the tarsal claws blunt-tipped.

Wings with the usual venation, the first posterior cell open, the inner cross vein distinctly proximad of level of apex of first vein, second section of costa as long as fourth and half as long as first; some fine hairs at base of third vein both above and below; costal thorn undeveloped.

Abdomen broadly ovate, slightly flattened on dorsum, the first visible tergite with a pair of apical central bristles, second with a pair of discals and four or more in centre of apex, third with four or more discals and a complete apical series; hypopygium slightly bulbous, the basal segment with short fine hairs; fifth sternite with the processes slightly emarginate (Fig. 75), the other sternites rather numerously bristled.

Length, 13 mm.

Holotype, Male, Mt. Arthur, January 24 (A. Philpott).

In addition to the distinguishing characters listed in the key the entirely black legs and yellowish white squamae serve to separate this species from any of the others in the genus now before me.

I have a female before me which I take to be that of obtusa. It is the only one in which the legs are entirely black and the squamae are yellowish white. The scutellum is also entirely black, and though there are only a few scattered hairs on the lower half of the para facials close to the eyes, I have no doubt that it belongs to this species. The claws are pointed, and the abdomen is not red on the sides.

Length, 14 mm.

Locality, Mt. Cook, 4.xi.29 (A. Philpott).

This may be considered as the allotype.

Neotachina (Neotachina) angusticornis, n.sp.

Very similar to obtusa in general appearance, differing markedly in having the tibiae brownish yellow, the scutellum usually showing brown or red on the apical half, the parafacials haired on only their upper halves, and the tarsal claws acutely pointed. The squamae are also brown.

Frons at narrowest point not half as wide as narrowest part of the parafacial, the orbits and upper part of the parafacials with brassy yellow dust. Antennae rather variable in colour, the third segment usually red on at least its base, its width not less than equal to that of narrowest part of frons. Parafacials haired to middle, the hairs extending fully across, not prolonged downwards close to eye.

A Check List of the Tachinidae of New Zealand

• Huttonobesseria, Curran.

• verecunda (Hutton).

• Evibrissa, Rondani.

• huttoni, Malloch.

• Hyalomyia, Robineau-Desvoidy.

• (Campbellia, Miller.)

• campbelli (Miller).

• cockaynei (Miller).

• lanoifer, Malloch.

• Calcageria, Curran.

• incidens, Curran.

• var. nuda, Malloch.

• varians, Malloch.

• Uclesiella, Malloch.

• irregularis, Malloch.

• Calcager, Hutton.

• apertum, Hutton.

• dubium, Malloch.

• Plagiomyia, Curran.

• turbidum, (Hutton).

• achaeta, Malloch.

• longipes, Malloch.

• alticeps, Malloch.

• longicornis, Malloch.

• Calotachina, Malloch.

• tricolor, Malloch.

• Genotrichia, Malloch.

• tonnoiri, Malloch.

• minor, Malloch.

• Wattia, Malloch.

• ferruginea, Malloch.

• petiolata, Malloch.

• sessilis, Malloch.

• Arthuria, Malloch.

• dimorpha, Malloch.

• Microhystricia, Malloch.

• gourlayi, Malloch.

• Hexamera, Brauer and Bergenstamm

• signata (Walker).

• huttoni, Malloch.

• Cerosomyia, Hutton.

• usitata, Hutton.

• syn. orasus Walker?

• clathrata Nowicki?

• efferata, Hutton.

• fulvipes, Hutton.

• recta, Hutton.

• aurea, Hutton.

• funesta, Hutton.

• inconspicua, Hutton.

• atrox, Hutton.

• syn. pernioiosa, Hutton?

• casta, Hutton.

• Engycera, Malloch.

• politiventris, Malloch.

• var. setosa, Malloch.

• monticola, Malloch.

• pallipes, Malloch.

• kumarensis (Miller).

• syn. vittata, Curran.

• modica (Hutton).

• syn. pavida, Hutton.

• Procissio, Hutton.

• cana, Hutton.

• var. valida, Hutton.

• syn. montana, Hutton.

• lateralis, Malloch.

• albiceps, Malloch.

• var. varians, Malloch.

• milleri, Malloch.

• Cerosomyia, Hutton.

• exitosa, Hutton.

• nefaria, Hutton.

• nyctemeriana, Hudson.

• marginata, Hutton.

• ? brouni, Hutton.

• Occisor, Hutton.

• versutus, Hutton.

• inscitus, Hutton.

• atratus, Malloch.

• Hystricina, Malloch.

• lupina (Swederus).

• Veluta, Malloch.

• albicincta, Malloch.

• Altaia, Malloch.

• geniculata, Malloch.

• Macquartia, Robineau-Desvoidy.

• vexata, Hutton.

• flavohirta, Malloch.

• nigrihirta, Malloch.

• claripennis, Malloch.

• Phaoniella, Malloch.

• bifida, Malloch.

• Platytachina, Malloch.

• major, Malloch.

• latifrons, Malloch.

• atricornis, Malloch.

• difficilis, Malloch.

• angustifrons, Malloch.

• Zealandotachina, Malloch.

• subtilis (Hutton).

• nigrifemorata, Malloch.

• varipes, Malloch.

• var. varipes, Malloch.

• var. fumata, Malloch.

• var. fuscata, Malloch.

• var. strigipes, Malloch.

• var. lata, Malloch.

• setigera, Malloch.

• quadriseta, Malloch.

• infuscata, Malloch.

• quadrivittata, Malloch.

• lamellata, Malloch.

• tenuis, Malloch.

• latifrons, Malloch.

Subgen. Calosia, Malloch.

binigra, Malloch.

To face page 252.

some much shorter setulae and short hairs. Profile as text-figure 1; longest hairs on the arista barely twice as long as its basal diameter. Eyes bare. Proboscis stout.

Text-fig. 1.—Paracoenosia tonnoiri, head of ♂ in profile.

Mesonotum with 2 + 3 pairs of strong dorsocentrals, the prealar lacking, no presutural acrostichals, and the prescutellar pair present or lacking; sternopleurals usually three, occasionally four, and some setulose hairs between them, scutellum with short decumbent discal hairs and four strong and usually four much shorter and weaker bristles on the margin. The lower stigmatal bristle is represented by a weak upwardly curved setula. Mesonotum with numerous very short black hairs.

Legs moderately long, the femora stout. Fore femur with a series of setulae on anteroventral surface, an irregular series of bristles and setulae on posteroventral surface, and some long bristles on the posterodorsal and posterior surfaces; mid femur with an irregular series of long and short bristles on the anteroventral surface and a similar but closer series of longer bristles and stouter spinules on the posteroventral surface, the latter more than uniseriate apically; hind femur with the same irregular strong armature of the mid femur, but the bristles more numerous; fore tibia with a posterior bristle beyond middle, the apical ventral bristle not longer than the tibial diameter; mid tibia with a submedian posterior bristle and three apical bristles below that are stronger and longer than the one at apex of ventral surface of fore tibia; hind tibia with two anterodorsal and two posterodorsal bristles, no anteroventral, the preapical dorsal and preapical anterodorsal bristles not

transverse in position, the latter the shorter, and the apical antero-ventral longer than the tibial diameter and straight. Tarsi normal, claws and pulvilli a little larger in male than in female.

Wings of moderate size, about as long as thorax and abdomen combined, rounded at apex. Inner cross vein close to middle of discal cell and just beyond level of apex of first vein, outer cross vein about half its own length from apex of fifth vein, apical sections of third and fourth veins curved slightly downward, the first posterior cell not narrowed at apex, ultimate and penultimate sections of fourth vein subequal in length; costal thorn minute.

Abdomen of male narrowly cylindrical, of female rather broadly ovate. First visible tergite with a series of bristles on sides at middle and one or two at apex on sides, the others with lateral apical bristles except third and fourth in the male, which have an almost complete apical series; fifth tergite in male short and bare, sixth in same sex with a number of discal bristles. Hypopygium of male not very large, the processes of the fifth sternite broad, rounded at apices, where they are bare, and with a number of discal bristles.

Lower squama over twice as large as upper one, not very wide, rounded at apex.

Length, 8–9.5 mm.

Holotype, Male, allotype, and 1 paratype, Aniseed Valley, 1–4.xii.23 (A. L. Tonnoir); male paratype, Cobb Valley, 10.xii.22 (A. Philpott).

Named in honour of the collector of the type specimen.

Paracoenosia bicolor, n.sp.

Very similar to the genotype, of which in fact it may prove to be merely a variety. There are no intermediates in my material, all the specimens of both sexes in tonnoiri having the antennae entirely ferruginous, and all in bicolor having the third antennal segment entirely fuscous or almost black. In other respects the two are almost identical, though I have not investigated the structures of the hypopygia of the males, in which there may be differentiating features.

Length, 7.5–8 mm.

Holotype, Male, Kumara, 3.xi.29 (J. W. Campbell); allotype, Waiho, 24.i.22 (A. L. Tonnoir); paratypes, 2 females from Greymouth (Osten-Sacken coll., Berlin-Dahlem).

The last listed specimens were no doubt sent many years ago to Baron Osten-Sacken by either Hutton or some one of the older collectors and were never reported upon, passing into the collection of the Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, from whence they were sent to me by my friend Dr. Walther Horn for identification some time ago.

Explanation of Figures.

• Fig. 1.—Wattia ferruginea, head of female in profile.

• Fig. 2.—Wattia ferruginea, apex of wing of female.

• Fig. 3.—Wattia petiolata, apex of wing of female.

• Fig. 4.—Wattia sessilis, apex of wing of female.

• Fig. 5.—Genotrichia tonnoiri, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 6.—Genotrichia tonnoiri, apex of wing of male.

• Fig. 7.—Arthuria dimorpha, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 8.—Arthuria dimorpha, apex of wing of male.

• Fig. 9.—Uclesiella irregularis, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 10.—Uclesiella irregularis, apex of wing of male.

• Fig. 11.—Plagiomyia turbidum, apex of wing of male type.

• Fig. 12.—Plagiomyia longipes, head of female in profile.

• Fig. 13.—Plagiomyia alticeps, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 14.—Plagiomyia longicornis, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 15.—Calcageria incidens, head of female in profile.

• Fig. 16.—Calcageria incidens, apex of wing of female.

• Fig. 17.—Calotachina tricolor, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 18.—Calotachina tricolor, apex of wing of male.

• Fig. 19.—Microhystricia gourlayi, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 20.—Engycera politiventris, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 21.—Engycera politiventris, apex of wing of male.

• Fig. 22.—Perrissina crocea, a, head of male in profile; b, outer claw of foretarsus of male from above.

• Fig. 23.—Perrissina crocea, posterior spiracles of puparium.

• Fig. 24.—Asetulia nigropolita, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 25.—Asetulia nigropolita, apex of abdomen of male in profile.

• Fig. 26.—Prosenosoma greyi, head of female in profile.

• Fig. 27.—Xenorhynchia peeli, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 28.—Plethochaetigera fenwicki, apex of abdomen of male in profile.

• Fig. 29.—Plethochaetigera setiventris, apex of abdomen of male in profile.

• Fig. 30.—Plethochaetigera isolata, apex of abdomen of male in profile.

• Fig. 31.—Cerosomyia usitata, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 32.—Procissio albiceps, fifth abdominal sternite of male from below.

• Fig. 33a.—Procissio albiceps, epistome from in front.

• Fig. 33b.—Procissio cana, epistome from in front.

• Fig. 34.—Procissio cana, fifth abdominal sternite of male from below.

• Fig. 35.—Procissio lateralis, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 36.—Procissio lateralis, fifth abdominal sternite of male from below.

• Fig. 37.—Peremptor modica, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 38.—Peremptor modica, fifth abdominal sternite of male from below.

• Fig. 39.—Peremptor egmonti, head of female type-specimen in profile.

• Fig. 40.—Occisor versutus, head of male type-specimen in profile.

• Fig. 41.—Veluta albicincta, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 42.—Veluta albicincta, fore tarsus of female from above.

• Fig. 43.—Veluta albicincta, apex of abdomen of male in profile.

• Fig. 44.—Altaia geniculata, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 45.—Altaia geniculata, apex of abdomen of male in profile.

• Fig. 46.—Platytachina latifrons, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 47.—Platytachina latifrons, apex of abdomen of male in profile.

• Fig. 48.—Platytachina atricornis, antenna of male.

• Fig. 49.—Platytachina atricornis, hypopygial forceps of male in profile.

• Fig. 50.—Platytachina major, section of costal vein of wing near humeral vein, dorsal view.

• Fig. 51.—Platytachina difficilis, section of costal vein near humeral vein, dorsal view.

• Fig. 52.—Platytachina difficilis, hypopygial forceps of male in profile.

• Fig. 53.—Platytachina angustifrons, fifth sternite of male, right half from below.

• Fig. 54.—Neotryphera atra, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 55.—Neotryphera atra, apex of wing.

• Fig. 56.—Neotryphera atra, squamae of right side from above, with base of costal vein of wing showing along right side.

• Fig. 57.—Trypherina grisea, head of male in profile.

• Fig. 58.—Macquartia vexata, head of male in profile. Type.

• Fig. 59.—Macquartia vexata, apex of abdomen of male in profile. Type.