io8 AN ACCOUNT OF BRITISH FLIES. 



autumn in woods and thickets. The larvae are known to congregate 

 in large numbers, and may possibly abroad form the so-called " Heer- 

 wurm " in some instances. This is the largest of the genus. It does 

 not hibernate. 



S. carbonaria, Mg. 



This insect is almost black all over. The thorax is shining ; 

 antennae a little longer than head and thorax ; wings hairy, shining 

 brown in <^, darker in the ? . Costa faint ; second longitudinal vein 

 dark brown. The abdomen of the S is longer and slenderer than in 

 the ? , and the wings with shorter hairs. Legs testaceous ; tarsi 

 dusky brown. 



Found in the spring and summer ; rare in England, but not so 

 on the Continent. Winnertz* says : " Ich habe sie Laufig auf 

 Weiden bliiten augetroffen, und auch in copulo sefangen." 



cHisteaforcipata, F. 

 S. morio, Y. = \S. florilega, Mg. 



\s. liigiibris, Wtz. (?) 



This species is black, shining. Wings blackish, darkest along the 

 costa ; halteres piceous at base, knobs black. Second longitudinal 

 vein ending much beyond the fork of the fourth, and much beyond 

 half the length of the wing. Abdomen in $ slightly hairy, in the ? with 

 a yellow line on the sides when alive, this disappears at death. Legs 

 piceous ; tips of femora in $ testaceous, dusky in the $ . 



Dalet records this from West Cornwall, and it is mentioned as 

 being common in Walker. Verrall places it amongst the reputed 

 species for some reason. Loewj obtained the larvae from the stalks 

 of Aretium.% 



S. qtiinquelineata, Macq. 



This is a species mentioned by Curtis,|| and was reared from rotten 

 potatoes. 



The imago is black, with shiny thorax, with five whitish lines ; 

 wings nearly transparent ; abdomen blackish-brown. Legs dark 

 black ; ends of cox^e and femora testaceous, tarsi dark. Antennae 

 yellowish. 



S. prcecox, Mg. = S. fascipes, Mg. $ . 

 Black ; thorax black and somewhat shiny ; palpi black ; antennae 



* Mon. der. Sciarinen, 1867, Wien., p. 14. 



t Diptera of West Cornwall, 1890-91. 



X Dip. Beitrage, fasc. 4th, p. 18, 1850. 



§ This is probably the same species as carbonaria. 



II Curtis, " Farm Insects," p. 460, i860. 



