326 Ml 1-!'-• Austen on the Synonyvty and visible from above nearly half as long as its (li.xtance from the frontal J infernasab much shorter than the praefrontals ; frontal once and a half as long as broad, longer than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parictals ; nasal divided, in contact with the prreicular; two post-oculars, lower very small, upper in contact with the fifth and sixth upper labials; a single temporal; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eyn, sixth largest and forming a long suture with the parietal ; first lower labial in contact with its fellow behind the symphysial ; two pairs of chin-shields, posterior longer. Scal.ts in 15 rows. Ventrals 145; anal entire ; subcaudals 48. Snout and upper parts of body blac-kisli, upper lip and back of head yellowish, lower parts yell >wish white. Total length 235 mm.; tail 40. A single female specimen from the forest 5 miles inland of Kribi. XL. —77(6 Synonymy and Generic Position of certain Species of MuBcidse (sens, lat.) in the Collection of the British Museum, described by the late Francis Walker. liy Eknest E. Austen. Although nothing in the shape of general interest can be claimed for the following notes, it is iioped that they may at anv rate ])rove useful to compilers of catalogues who wish to avoid a long list of unidentified Walkerian species, chiefly at the end of the genus Tachina. Even with the types before him the present writer has often found it a matter of great difficulty to assign Walker's species of Muscidie to their proper genera, owing to the fact that the species are almost invarialjly based u|)on single specimens, usuallv in very poor condition. It would have taken far too long to correct the manifold inaccuracies and imperfections of the original descriptions, and in the majority of eases no attempt has been made to do so. As j)roving that Walker described the Sj>ecirnen, and not the species^ the characters of whieli he was generally incapable of grasping, it may be mentioned that he is responsible for no fewer than eleven synonvms of the well-known Eufachina rusticn, Mg., the description in every case being based upon a single specimen. The present paper contains but a first instalment of notes upon Walker's species of Muscidie, since it is hoped to deal with other species in a similar manner at a later date.
XL.—The synonymy and generic position of certain species of Muscidæ (sens. lat.) in the collection of the British Museum, described by the late Francis Walker