354 



it is very probable that they constituted its food there. The specimen 

 taken by Smith was taken in company with larvae of Asilidae and 

 probably fed also upon white-grubs, which are the principal food of 

 the asilids. The pupal exuvia listed were found protruding from rot- 

 ten tree-stumps. 



In addition to the above we have imagines in our collection here 

 from Algonquin, Chicago, and Fourth Lake — all in Illinois. 



The larvae of the European species ferrnginca Scopoli, is de- 

 scribed as having the second thoracic segment with 5 chitinized longi- 

 tudinal dorsal bands. I can not find these bands on any larvae avail- 

 able to me, and consider it possible that our species may not be the 

 same as the European one. 



Family ACANTHOMBRIDAB 



This family is found only in Central and South America, and is 

 considered by some authors as doubtfully separate from Stratiomyi- 

 idae. 



The larva of one species has been figured by Brauer*, and its gen- 

 eral appearance and the structure of the cephalic, thoracic, and apical 

 abdominal segments ally it closely with Coenomyiidae. 



Superf amily Tab an oidea 



I have placed in this superfamily the families Tabanidae and 

 Leptidae. 



SUPERFAMILY CHARACTERS 



Larva. — Head small, wholly or partly retracted, permanently re- 

 tracted portion with an arcuate dorsal plate over the longitudinal rods ; 

 mandibles strong, hook-like, curved downward ; maxillae well de- 

 veloped, wholly or largely membranous, the palpi well developed ; 

 antennae distinct, pedunculate. Body cylindrical, with or without 

 pseudopods; lateral abdominal spiracles absent in Tabanidae, small 

 but no lateral spiracles distinguishable in Leptidae; apical spiracles in 

 a vertical fissure in Tabanidae, exposed and separated in Leptidae. 



Pupa. — Head without strong cutting armature ; antennae with or 

 without distinct annuli. Thoracic respiratory organs sessile. Wings 

 and legs closely fused to each other and to thorax ; fore tarsi over- 

 lying mid pair, the latter overlying hind pair, the pairs successivelv 

 longer, hind pair not extending beyond apices of wings. Abdomen 



*Denschr. k. Akad. Wissensch. Wien, math.-naturw. CI., Vol. 47. (18S3) 



