337 



rather severely with the hind femora aiul tihige. So far I have failed 

 to find the larva, no opportunity offering to search for it, but from 

 the fact that many imagines were found on cut-over land where the 

 old tree-stumps remained, upon which the insects often settled, I be- 

 lieve that larv?e must be common in the various localities where I have 

 seen the imagines. 



The larva has been recorded as feeding upon the larvae of insects 

 in (^Id tree-stumps, and the imago has also been recorded as predaceous. 

 I am unable to confirm the last record, as all the specimens taken 

 by both Mr. Hart and myself were upon flowers or at rest upon tree- 

 stumps. It is not impossible that the species is predaceous, but from 

 personal ol)servation and an examinatian of the mouth parts, which 

 differ essentially from those of Proctacantluis and allied forms, I infer 

 that if it is predaceous it is rarely so and must be only in cases where 

 the prey is soft-bodied. It is necessary that exact observations be 

 made to determine the facts of the case, negative evidence such as I 

 am in possession of being inconclusive. 



ASILIDiE 

 Promachus v^rte;bratus Say 



Asilus vcrtehratus Say, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., Vol. 3, 1823, p. 47. 



Larva (PI. LXXXII, Fig. 12). — Length, averaging 40 mm. (pre- 

 served specimens). White, head and spiracles brown. Head with 10 

 long hairs, 5 ventral and 5 dorsal, as shown in Figures 24 and 25 ; 

 mandibles opposed, long and stout; maxillary palpi of moderate size; 

 antennae very small. Each thoracic segment with 2 hairs, one on each 

 side on ventral surface ; prothoracic respiratory organ located near 

 posterior margin on side; anal respiratory organs (Fig. 13) located in 

 a depression on portion anterior to last segment (8th abdominal seg- 

 ment?), the latter with 8 long hairs, 4 ventral and 4 dorsal (Figs. 11 

 and 14). 



The larva here described is without doubt that of vcrtchrahis, al- 

 though no direct connection has been established between it and the 

 imago. There is in the collection, however, a poorly preserved speci- 

 men that agrees in all particulars with the above, which is one of sev- 

 eral specimens obtained by J. J. Davis, the others being reared and pro- 

 ducing imagines of vcrtehratus. The larva is found not uncommonly 

 in spring where ploughing is being done. 



Pupa. — Length, 2y mm. Yellowish 1)rown, head and thorax shin- 

 ing, abdomen subopaque. Head similar to that of Asilus notatus (PI. 



