PLATYPHORA, n. gen.

Lata, planx, tota absque setis. Frons latissima. Thorax transversus. Abdomen parvus. Alarum vena cubitalis simplex, subacostali parallela; venula undulatæ ; costa ad basin subciliata.

Distinguished from all the existing genera of Phoridæ by its flat and broad shape, which resembles that of the small species of Sphærocera. The absence of strong bristles on the frons, thorax, and legs also distinguishes it from all the genera except Gymnophora, which, however, is of the usual arched Phora-shape, and has the cubital vein forked, costa bare, &c.

PLATYPHORA LUBBOCKII.—Nigra, nitida ; abdomino triangulari, segmento tertio parvo; femoribus posticis basi flavidis ; alis apice latis, flavido-hyalinis, costa ad basin subciliata, vena cubitali ad medium costæ extensa subcostali parallela, venulis undulatis. Long. lin.

Broad, flat, shining ; frons very broad, the eyes scarcely occupying each one-sixth the width of the head; it is moderately shining, gently arched, and pretty densely clothed with minute bristles; the three ocelli visible slightly luteous; antenne with the third joint rather large, somewhat rounded; thorax broad, flat, rather broader than the head, angles tolerably rounded, disk shining (in appearance suggesting a small Spherocera), beset with very minute bristles, which become rather scarcer towards the hinder part; scutellum rather dull, margined, nearly four times as broad as long: abdomen black, narrower and shorter than the thorax (again suggestive of Sphærocera); each segment after the second successively narrower, the last one being almost triangular; the third segment is very short, contracted under the second; the hind margins form a curved convex towards the thorax, the first segment being slightly emarginate in the middle; the sixth (last) is much the longest. Legs stoutish, blackish, basal twotbirds of hind femora yellowish; middle tibiæ with two small spines at the tip. Wings considerably overlapping the abdomen, yellowish hyaline, darker about the basal half of the costa, blunt at the tip, cubital vein extending about half the length of the wing, and the costa slightly ciliate up to its end, subcostal vein running parallel to it and ending just before it; both veins a little thickened at their ends; first veinlet curved S-like, considerably at its base, slightly at its end, vanishing distinctly before the tip of the wing; second veinlet also S-like, diverging at its end from the first, and ending distinctly below the tip of the wing; third veinlet slightly undulated, ending very wide from the second fourth faint, not reaching the end of the wing.

This description having been made from a specimen gummed down on card, though in very good condition, I am unable to decide on the sex, or to examine the face, palpi, base of antennæ, or coxæ.

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