13° 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



with thick pubescence, which is yellow on the thorax, 

 black at base of the abdomen, and whitish or reddish 

 at the tip, and two yellow tufts of pubescence at the 

 sides of the base of the abdomen ; under side of 

 thorax with thick black hair ; face with yellow hair, 

 and in 9 with a central stripe of thick yellow hair ; 

 legs black ; wings pale grey, brownish tinged along 

 the fore borden; very variable. There are two 

 distinct varieties, both of which Miss E. Ormerod 

 has bred from one- batch of eggs; and Mr. Verrall 

 possesses a series, showing every form of intermediate 

 colouring ; common ; long 9-1 1 mm. 



V. pclhicens, L., a large black fly ; bare ; basal half 

 of abdomen livid ; legs black ; wings nearly clear, 

 with a large irregular blackish spot in the centre of 

 the fore border, extending downwards half way across 

 the wing ; face yellow ; slightly smaller than bomhy- 

 lans ; common. 



Helophilus pendulus, L., a yellow fly; bare; top 

 of thorax black, with four yellow stripes ; abdomen 

 with transverse black markings ; face yellow, with 

 a central black line ; legs black and yellow ; posterior 

 femora enlarged ; wings clear ; rather common ; 

 long 9-10. 



Several other species of Hclophiliis are more or 

 less common in Britain ; mostly yellowish in colour, 

 and allied \.o penduliis ; known as "sun-flies," their 

 habits being similar to those of Eristalis. 



Xylota segnis, L. — Black, basal half of abdomen 

 dull red ; face with short whitish pubescence ; legs 

 black, with base of tibite yellow ; wings grey or pale 

 brown ; posterior femora enlarged ; long 8-9 mm. 

 About six species of Xylota are British. The larva 

 of Xylota lives in decayed wood, 



Syritta pipiais, L., is a small and very common 

 insect found everywhere, London included. Black, 

 with the under side grey ; face with thick greyish 

 white pubescence , a small yellowish spot at each 

 edge of posterior borders of the abdominal segments ; 

 legs black, marked with tawny or yellow ; posterior 

 femora much enlarged ; wings quite clear ; variable 

 in size and markings. Larva lives in horse-dung ; 

 long 5-7 mm. 



Criorhma oxyacantha:, Mg., resembles a bee; 

 covered with yellow pubescence, deepest in colour on 

 the thorax ; face much produced ; black, covered on 

 upper side with thick yellow hair ; legs all black or 

 dark brown ; wings pale grey, yellowish at the base, 

 and with a black stripe extending half way across the 

 wing from the centre of the fore border. The larva 

 lives in river bank mud ; long 12-13 mm. 



Eumenis, Mg., a genus allied to Syritta, is repre- 

 sented by three species. 



Chtysogastcr, Mg., is a genus of metallic, dark, 

 greenish-black flies, with rather dark wings ; black 

 legs, short pubescence ; several species, all closely 

 allied, are British ; one of their characteristics is the 

 grooved face ; they appear chiefly in spring and 

 summer on Ranunculi ; long 6-7 mm. 



Chrysotoxtnn, Mg. — Seven species are British. A. 

 genus of large, handsome, wasp-like flies, except that 

 the base of the abdomen is not contracted ; thorax. 

 black, with yellow side markings ; face black, 

 generally with a wide central black line ; abdomen 

 oval, convex, yellow with transverse black markings ;. 

 legs thin, principally yellow ; wings unmarked, grey- 

 ish ; base tawny yellow; long 10-12 mm. Larva 

 feeds on plant roots. 



The Syrphidcc occasionally swarm in countless, 

 numbers, when several species are sometimes found 

 forming part of the host. At Margate, in August, 

 1869, the following appeared in vast profusion during 

 one day : — E, icnax, S. balteatus, and Sphicroplioria- 

 ticniatiis. 



Swammerdam and Reaumur have studied and' 

 illustrated their writings on the life-histories of 

 several common species. 



Over a thousand species are European. Sphegina- 

 clunipes. Fin., Wlk. i. PI. x. 16. Syrphiis pyrastri^, 

 L., Wlk. i. PI. x. 12. Leucozoiia lucornim, L., Curt. 

 753. Rhingia campestris, L., Curt. 182. Vohtcellct 

 ivflata, F., Curt. 452. Scricomyia borealis, Fin.,. 

 Walk. PI. ix. 14. Syritta pipic?ts, L,, Wlk. PI. ix. 9. 

 Criorhina oxyacatithcc, Mg., Wlk. PI. ix. 12.. 

 Chrysotoxiun bimaciilattitn. Curt. 853. 



27. Cotiopida:. 



This group is a small one, allied to both the 

 Syrphidie and higher forms of MuscidiE. The species 

 in the first division closely resemble wasps (Odynerzis,. 

 &c.) ; the larvDe are parasitic on bees, .Latreille 

 having reared P. rufipes from living Bombidic, whilst 

 Westwood noted the abundance of 0. atra on sand- 

 banks in which several species of bees burrowed. 



One or two authors have greatly multiplied both, 

 genera and species, nearly ail their names being now- 

 sunk as synonyms. The eyes are wide apart in both, 

 sexes, the 9 being distinguished by a ventral horny- 

 process towards the end of the abdomen. 



None of the species can be said to be common. 



Antennae stylate ; ocelli absent (C['«(7/z«a'). 



First abdominal joint of normal width : Conops, L. 

 First and second abdominal joint much retracted : Phy- 

 socepJiala, Sch. 

 Antennse with a bristle ; ocelli present [Myopina:). 



Proboscis bent only at the base : Zodion, Latr. 

 Proboscis bent at the base .Tnd at the middle. 



Face much produced downwards below the eyes ; 



proboscis short : Myopa, F. 

 Face not much produced downwards below the. 

 eyes ; proboscis long : Oncomyia. 



Conopina.— Conops flavipes, L., is black and 

 yellow ; face yellow, with a central black stripe ;. ° 

 antennce black ; thorax black, with yellow spots on. 

 shoulders ; abdomen black, with two ( $ ) or three 

 ((j) yellow bands; legs yellow and black; wings- 

 greyish ; fore border brownish ; long 10 mm. This, 

 is the most common species of the genus. 



Phyrocephala riifipes, Y .—Phyrocephala is dis- 

 tinnjished from Conops by the first and second 

 abdominal segment being much contracted ; the legs 



