222 MUSCiD^. 



round. Face slightly oblique. Epistoma and peristoma not prominent. 

 Antennce short, not reacJdng the epistoma ; tldrd joint a little longer than 

 hroad, ahout tivice the length of the second ; sixth bare. Wings rather 

 narrow ; costal vein ending on the liind border at a short distance from 

 the tip of the wing ; subcostal ending at a little beyond one-third of 

 the length ; radial ending at hardly five-sixths of the length ; cubital 

 ending at the tip ; praebrachial very near the cubital before the pra^bra- 

 chial transverse, diverging much from it between the transverse veins, 

 and parallel to it from the discal transverse to the tip ; discal transverse 

 nearly straight and upright, parted by a little more than its length 

 from the prtebrachial transverse, and by much less than its length from 

 the border. Abdomen nearly linear, a little longer than the thorax. 

 Legs pubescent, of moderate length. 



The larvae of the Piophilce feed on animal substances, and leap 

 very actively, as is described in the following extract : — " When 

 the larva prepares to leap, it first erects itself upon its anus, and 

 then bending itself into a circle by bringing its head to its tail, it 

 pushes forth its unguiform mandibles, and fixes them in two cavi- 

 ties in its anal tubercles ; it next contracts its body into an oblong, 

 so that the two halves are parallel to each other; it then lets go 

 its hold with so violent a jerk that the sound produced by its 

 mandibles may be readily heard, and the leap takes place." 



1. casei, L. Fn. 1850 (1761); Fal. ; Meig. ; Curt.! B. E. 126; 

 Mcq. ; Zett. — putris var., Gmel. Nigro-a^nea, capite luteo, antennis 

 nigris basi luteis, alis albis, pedibus fulvis, auticis \i\Q,Qi?>, femoribus pos- 

 ticis piceo-cinctis. Long. 2 ; alar. 4 lin. 



The Cheese Fly. — iEneous-black. Head luteous ; vertex black. 

 Proboscis piceous. Antennaj black, luteous towards the base. TFings 

 white; veins tchitish. Halteres testaceous. Legs tawny; fore legs 

 mostly piceous. Hind femora with a piceous band. 



Generally distributed. (E. S. I.) 



3. luteata, Hal. E. M. i. 169 {l%^2,).—petasionis, Le'on Duf. 

 Nigra, nitida, capite plemis pectore pedibusque posterioribus luteis, 

 alis suhJlavescentibus,femoribus tibiisq^ue posticis fusco-cinctis. Long. 2 ; 

 alar. 3| lin. 



The Bacon Fly. — More robust than P. casei. Legs shorter and 

 thicker. Wings shorter, yelloioish, icith thick yellow veins. Back of the 

 thorax, seutellum, and the entire abdomen shining greenish-black. Fore 

 legs blackish, with the knees and base of the tibiaj yellowish ; hind 

 femora and tibiae with brown rings ; tips of the tarsi dusky. 



Generally distributed. (E. S. I.) 



The following additional species have been recorded as British: — 



1. atrata, F. 3. uigricornis, Meig. 



2. nigrimana, Meig. 4. nigriceps, Meig. 



