158 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Abdomen quite bare. 



Abdomen tive or six-segmented, flat, wings broad and 



large — triangular : Phasimr. 

 Abdomen four-segmented, globular, wings of normal shape, 

 rather small : Gynittosomina;. 

 Abdomen pubescent, large spines nearly always present. 



Abdomen five-segmented, long— genitalia very prominent. 

 Fourth longitudinal vein meeting third some distance 

 from edge of wing, fifth meeting fourth much beyond 

 middle of first post, cell : Ocyfrteriniv. 

 Fourth longitudinal vein meeting third nearly at edge 

 of wing, fifth meeting fourth before centre of first 

 post, cell : Phanina-. 

 Abdomen four-seeraented, conical, genitalia not pro- 

 minent: Tachininte. 



The principal genera are Echinomyia, Dumer, 

 Ncmorcea, Desv., Exorista, Mg., Tachiiia, Mg., and 



Fig. z-i%.—Syyph7is, F. 



Fig. 136. — Volucella, Geoff. 



Fig. 137. — Eristalis, Latr. 



Fig. 138. — Criorrhina, Mcq. 



Phorocera, Desv., but the state of our knowledge of 

 the group is at present highly unsatisfactory. 



Echinomyia grossa, L,, is one of the largest 

 British flies, and is a large black bee-like fly covered 

 with soft black hair ; face, front and back of the 

 head yellow, with short bright golden pubescence ; 

 antennas tawny, tips black ; legs black ; wings pale 

 grey, tawny at base and on the fore-border ; long 

 12-15 mm. 



Olivicria lateralis, V., abdomen tawny, with a 

 central dorsal black stripe enlarged towards the tip, 

 and covering the whole of the last segment ; thorax 

 black with indistinct grey stripes ; face and front 

 silvery grey ; antennce and legs black ; wings pale 

 grey, brownish on fore-border ; long 7-8. Common 

 in long grass. 



Exorista vulgaris. Fin., is a tessellated black and 

 grey fly, subject to much variation ; wings clear ; 

 face silvery-grey, with a central broad brown band ; 

 antenna large, long, black ; legs black ; alulae large, 

 white ; long 7-8 mm. Most of the genera are 

 represented by two or three species only. 



Nemorcza occurs chiefly in woods. 



Gy77inosoma, Mg., and Clytia, Desv., frequent the 

 carrot plant. 



In Myobia, Desv., and Metopia, Mg., the $ lays 

 her eggs on the dead insects brought into Hymeno- 

 pterous nests as food. 



Fig. 139. — Xylota, Mg. 



Fig. 140. — Ckrysotoxum, Mg. 



Fig. 141. — Conops, L. 



Fig. 142. — CEstrus, L. 



Tachina, Masicera, Exorista, NemorcEa, Echi- 

 nomyia, and others are known to be parasitic on 

 Lepidoptera, Serville thinking that Nemoraa is also 

 parasitic on Lepidopterous pupce. 



Gonia, Mg., is represented by five species, none 

 common ; the face is very broad. 



Trixa, Mg., somewhat resembles Sarcophaga ; 

 three species, larva unknown. 



Alopliora hemiptera, F, Pauz. Ixxiv. Echinomyia 

 ferox, Pz., Pauz. civ, Trixa variegata, Mg., Wlk. ii. 

 PI. xii. 3. Gymnosoma rotiuidatiim, L,, Wlk. ii. PI. 

 xi. 6, Ocyptera brassicaria, F., Curt. 629. 



(2.) Dcxince. 



This small group is closely allied to the Tachinince, 

 and calls for no special mention ; about twenty 



