ANTHEAX. 77 



Fb. ; Shr. Anthrax p., Fb. ; Pz. ; Mg. kl. Anthrax et Exopro- 



sopa, Mq. 

 Caput magnum, obtuse ovatimi, subdepressum, hirsutum. Color 



niger, hirsutie uigi'a vel flava. Alee lomjce. Proboscis brevis. An- 



tennce basl remota. 

 Mas. Oculi approximati. Auus obtusus. 

 Fcerii. Oculi magis remoti. Anus acutior. 



Body large or of midtlle size, of moderate breadth, black, sometimes 

 partly red, clothed with various-colom-ed hairs and down. Head 

 globose, somewhat contracted behind ; cpistoma bearded. Eyes reni- 

 form, gi-een. Ocelli 3, on the crown. Proboscis either quite icithdratcn 

 into the peristoma, or porrect inclined npward and as long as the head. 

 Labrmn small, acute, channelled beneath, as long as the labium. 

 Lingua setiform, stiff, acute, somewhat shorter than the labnim. 

 MaxiUae setiform, stiff, acute, somewhat shorter than the lino-ua. 

 Palpi short, cylindrical, hairy. Labium cylindrical, channelled above. 

 Antenna 4- or h-jointed, short, poiTcct, remote at the base ; first joint 

 cylindi'ical ; second cyathiform ; third variously formed ; fourth veiy 

 small ; fifth verv^ small when present. Wings long, lanceolate, very 

 finely pubescent, expanded when at rest, generally adorned with spots, 

 stripes, or bands ; longitudinal veins much cuiTed. Alulae small. 

 Halteres uncovered, but often hidden by the hairs of the abdomen. 

 Abdomen eUiptical or cylindincal, rather long, with 7 segments, slightly 

 convex or almost flat. Legs long, slender; Mnd legs the longest. 

 Onychia small, wanting in some species. 



Male. Eyes almost contiguous. Abdomen obtuse at the tip. 



Pern. Eyes a little more remote. Abdomen less obtuse. 

 These flies are among the most beautiful of the D'q^tera ; 

 they are mostly inhabitants of warm climates, aj^pear only in 

 summer, fly very swiftly in the hot suusliine, and feed on 

 the nectar of flowers. They inhabit open parts of woods, 

 pastures, fields, paths, dry spots, and often bask in the sunshine 

 with expanded wings. Some of their larvse live in the earth ; 

 others are parasitic in Lepidopterous larvse. The species may 

 be thus grouped : — 



a. Third joint of the antennaj tapering gradually from the base to the 



tip. Species 1, 2. 

 a a. TMrd joint of the antennae very slender, thick at the base. 



Species 3, 4. 



1. lacchus, Fb. s. a. 123. 21 (1805); Mg. ; Mq.; Gmtl.— P««- 

 dora, Fb. ; Mg. ; Ct. — Megcera, Hms. ; Mg. — italica, Rsi. ; Mg. — 

 picta, Wdra. ; Mg. Nigra, fen-ugineo-hirta, alls nigricantibus maculatis 

 ferrugineo-variis apice rnargineqxie postico limpidis, abdominis lateribus 

 argenteo-maculatis. Long. 41-5^; alar. 11-13 lin. 



Black. Body clothed Avith ferruginous hairs. Wings blackish, with 



