BOMBYLIUS. 81 



beneath, shorter than the labium. Lingua attenuated, broadest at the 

 base, channelled above, very slender and acute at the tip, longer than 

 the labrum. MaxillBe entire on both sides, setiforni, stiff, acute, curved 

 at the base, shorter than the labrum. Palpi short, cylindrical, cm'ved, 

 clavate, clothed beneath with long hairs. Lal)ium cylindrical, linear, 

 rather stout, channelled above, somewhat thickened at the base, as 

 long as the lingua, terminating in 2 long narrow recurved lol)es, which 

 are united at the base by a horny plate ; the latter has 2 points and a 

 slender process in the centre. Antennce 6-joiuted, slender, 25t)i'rect, 

 approximate at the base, diverging, almost as long as the head ; first 

 and second joints clothed with long hairs; first joUd Ioikj, stout, cyHn- 

 drical ; second short, cyathifbrm ; third bare, compressed, subulate, 

 more than twice the length of the first ; fourth very short ; fifth longer; 

 sixth nearly oval, much shorter than the fifth. Thorax large, sub- 

 globose ; scutellum transverse. Wings lanceolate, long, very finely 

 pubescent, expanded when at rest. Alulae small, entire. Halteres 

 uncovered, but concealed by the hairs of the body. Abdomen short, 

 elliptical or cylindrical, with 7 segments ; the last very small, com- 

 pressed. Legs long, very slender, beset with minute bristles ; first, 

 second, and third joints of the anterior tarsi armed beneath with 

 spines ; onychia long, slender. 



Male. Eyes generally connected. 



Fern. Eyes parted. 



These flies are generally distributed, and appear during the 

 spring and the summer in gardens and woods, or on sandy heaths 

 and plains ; their flight is rapid, flitting, and humming, and they 

 suck the nectar of flowers while hovering on the wing. The 

 larvae are supposed to live on the roots of plants. 



1. major, Lin. s. n. ii. 1009. 1 (1763); Eb. ; LI.; Flu,; Dnv. ; 

 Mg.; Kby.; Mq. ; Ct. ! b. e. (U3. 1; ZU. ; Ztt. ; GimiX.—var'mjatus, 

 Dg. — sbitiatus, Mk. — vicinus, Mq. Niger, pilis fidvis dense hirtus, 

 capite et thorace subtus all^o-pilosis, thorace utrinque pilis albis vit- 

 tato, alls Umpidls coda usque ad discum sinuatim fuscis, abdomine 

 subtus piUs albis uigrisque fasciato, pedibus fulvis. Long. 4-i— 5 ; alar. 

 12-13 lin. 



Body black, most thickly clothed with hairs. Head clothed with 

 tawny hairs, on each side of the epistoma with a k\\ black hairs, and 

 beneath with white hairs. Proboscis nearly as long as the body. Palpi 

 clothed with a few long black hairs, as are also the first and second 

 joints of the antennas. Thorax clothed above with tawny hairs, be- 

 neath with white hairs. Wings colourless ; a dark hroicn stripe occu- 

 pies the base, extends beneath the fore borders nearly to the tip, and forms 

 3 curves along the disc. Halteres brown. Abdomen clothed with 

 tawny hairs, among which are a few black hairs ; undereide clothed 



VOL. I. M 



