» IMPPOBOSCID.E. 283 



Labium tnhnlosmn, siiperne ^fissitm, hau injlatimi, Ungtm tenui inclnm et 

 labro 'mcmnhente inter palpos porrectos fere vafjinalum. AntenufB 

 foveolis immei'sre prope os. Ala; et halteres sapiits mutila vel nulla. 

 Abdomen coriaceuni, vix insectmn. Pedes dissiti sterno lata. Ungues 

 diiplicati vel triplicati. 

 P;il[)i extra fulcrum labii siti, nee cum co exserendi. Oculi multiformes. 

 Thorax depressus. Prosteraum ultra capitis insertioueiu porrectum. 

 Alas ubi completaj fere ut in Brachjceris. Abdomen basi constrictum. 

 Ungues et onychia imparia, utraque ex adverse, i.e. unguis major 

 onyciiium minus subjoctum habet et vice versa. Ungues ad scan- 

 sum apti. 



Lnbiiim tnbnlose, cleft above, inflated at the base, and together toitli the 

 included slender tongue and with the incumbent labrum between the porreet 

 palpi almost forming a vagina. Antenna; deep set in furrows near the 

 month. Wings and halteres most often imperfect, or none. Abdomen 

 coriaceous, hardly vjith i?icisures. Legs parted by the broad sternum. 

 Ungues double or triple. 



Palpi seated beyond the fulcrum of the labium, and not exserted with 

 it. Eyes of various form. Thorax depressed. Prosternum extending 

 in front beyond the insertion of the head. Wings, when complete, al- 

 most like those of the Brachjcera. Abdomen contracted at the base. 

 Ungues and onychia unequal, that is, when the one are small the other 

 are large. Ungues formed for clinging. 



Tlicse flics are parasites of Maminalia aud birds, and feed on 

 the substance at the roots of the hairs or of tlie feathers. 



Family XXX. HIPPOBOSCID/E. 



HiPPOBOsciD.E, Leach, Eprobosc. Ins. (1815) ; Curt. ; Steph. ; Westw. 

 Coriacece, Mcq. Or nitho myites, Blanch. 



Caput pronum. Collum supra prosternum recumbens. 



Head prone ; the neck lying on the prosternum . 



"The species of this family pass their egg and larva state in 

 the body of the mother, and when born are pupa?, or larva? just 

 ready to assume the pupa state, as is proved by their size, which 

 nearly equals that of the parent fly, by their slight motion when 

 first extruded, by spiraculiforin {)oints which run down each side 

 of them, and by their changing into perfect flies. Each female 

 produces oidy a single egg. The proboscis consists of a pair of 

 hairy coriaceous valves, which include a very slender rigid tube 

 or siphuncle, the instrument of suction, which is formed by the 

 union of two setiform pieces. Almost the whole of the wing is 

 occupied by the apical areolets, which in some instances arc in- 

 complete." 



