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Show 776 MR. E. E. AUSTEN ON A RECENT ZOOLOGICAL [June 16, With the exception of one or two species of Eristalis1 and Volucella obesa, F., scarcely any Hover-flies (Syrphidae) were seen. Volucella obesa, a brilliant metallic-green species, which also has bright green eyes when alive, is very widely distributed throughout the Neotropical Region. Like tbe Bee (Chrysantheda nltida), which it closely resembles wdien on the wing, this fly is the victim of an overpowering curiosity, and remains poised in the air in front of one in a w^ay that is perfectly irritating. It seems to be an exceedingly stupid fly, aud when caught in the net its movements at once become dull and sluggish. I found it very common everywhere. In houses and on board ship the Common Housefly of Europe (Musca domestlca, L.) was unpleasantly numerous; indeed I have never met with it in such swarms as on tbe dinner-table of a house about two miles from Para. The species seems to be now universally distributed, and has doubtless been carried by ships all over the civilized world. Several species of Calobata, a narrow-bodied, long-legged fly belonging to the family Micro-pezidae, occur iu the forest at the water's edge, and were quite the characteristic Diptera at the Parana de Buyassu. I shall have occasion to revert to the genus directly in speaking of Mimicry. Of the Butterflies I can say but little, since, as I have already indicated, not mueh attention was paid to them. Many of the specimens taken were tattered and worn, a fact which seemed to afford further proof that the best collecting season was aheadv over when we arrived. Several magnificent species of Morpho were seen flapping majestically along forest-paths or over clearings, but proved themselves singularly difficult to catch. I may add that at Santarem at the end of January the beautiful Callithea sapphlra, Hiibn., was quite common. The majority of the Moths that visited the ship's lights were of small size, and our series wdien worked out will no doubt be found to include many new species. To a different category belongs the beautiful green-striped Urania leilus, L., wdiich, although exceedingly common, I cannot refrain from mentioning. This species is diurnal in habits, aud on our arrival at Para a specimen came drifting over the ship almost as soon as the anchors were let go. Its appearance caused immense excitement, but we soon found that the moths kept crossing the river singly or in couples throughout the day. If m y memory serves me they all flew7 from the direction of the Ilha das Ongas towards the opposite shore, that is from north to south. These moths were also our constant companions when the ship was in the "Narrows" between the Para River and the Amazon. Coleoptera.-One, at any rate, of the Beetles collected is of interest. This is a male of the curious little scarlet-and-black Longicorn Erythroplatys corallifer, White, which I took at Obydos on Feb. 2nd. The species is at present represented in the Museum collection only by the type, which is a female. 1 Eristalis vinetorum, Fabr., E. agrorum, Fabr., and E. lateralis, Walk. |