380 
FLY. 
form, with a distant resemblance to a Tipula: it is 
of a dull yellow colour, with transparent wings; 
the thorax marked above by two black lines, and 
the abdomen by a triple series of black spots. 
The larva of this species measures about three 
quarters of an inch in length, and is of a pale 
yellowish grey colour; slender or sharpened in 
front, and growing gradually broader towards the 
tail. It is found in the Southern parts of Europe, 
and is not uncommon in some districts of France, 
and is remarkable for practising a method exactly 
similar to that of the Hemerobius Formicaleo in 
order to obtain its prey; excavating a circular pit 
or cavity in the dry sand; concealing itself be- 
neath the centre, and thus waiting the arrival of 
any small insect which may happen to fall into it, 
and after absorbing its juices, throwing out the 
exhausted remains to a considerable distance from 
the verge of the cavity. This larva seems to have 
been first observed and described by Reaumur, in 
the Memoirs of the French Academy for the year 
1752. It assumes the state of a chrysalis by 
casting its skin, which rolls to the hinder part of 
the body: the chrysalis is of a' dull reddish colour, 
and is rounded or clubbed at the upper part, sud- 
denly tapering from thence to the extremity, and 
after lying nine or ten days, gives birth to the in- 
cluded insect. 
Of the Downy, or slightly hairy Flies w'ith 
bristled antenna? one of the most remarkable is 
the Musca tenax, which is about the size of a 
Droncg and of a brown colour, with transparent 
