Meigen has included in Leptis insects which I have long 

 considered as forming two genera, and I find that Macquart 

 holds the same opinion. Meigen has taken an objection to 

 the name of Rhagio because it is similar to Rhagium, a genus 

 of beetles, which I conceive is not a sufficient reason for drop- 

 ping the original name g^ven to the group by Fabricius, 

 adopted by Latreille and Olivier, and by which they are ge- 

 nerally known. 



Rhagio is easily distinguished from Leptis (fol. 713) by its 

 smooth body and drooping attenuated palpi ; the wings and 

 antennae offer but trifling differences. 



These flies like many other diptera delight in resting on the 

 trunks of trees, generally standing high on their legs, with 

 their wings half expanded and their heads downward. De 

 Geer says the larvae live in the earth, and that of R. vermileo 

 is very remarkable : we learn from him and M. De Romand 

 that this larva forms small pits in the sand like the ant-lion, 

 at the bottom of which it lies, and devours ants and other 

 prey which fall to the bottom. M. De Romand has ascer- 

 tained that the larva can exist upwards of six months without 

 food, and M. Macquart states that they live at least three 

 years (months?) before they change to pupae ! 



1. strigosus Meig. vol. 2. />. 88. 



2. scolopaceus Linn. Panz. 14. 19. — solitarius Harris Expo, 

 pi. 2)\.f. 1. 2 and 5 var. 



May and June, on grass in meadows round London in 

 abundance, and July on trunks of trees. New Forest, &c. 



3. Heyshami Ciirt. Brit. Ent.jtl. 705 cT- 



The only specimen I have seen is a male, which I think I 

 brushed off a whitethorn near Ambleside ; as it differs essen- 

 tially from every other species, I have great pleasure in dedi- 

 cating it to my friend T. C. Heysham Esq., of Carlisle, whose 

 valuable contributions of plants and insects have added so 

 greatly to the interest of this work during its progress. 



4. tringarius Linn. De Geer, 6. pi. 9. f. 10. — Harris,^/. 31. 

 y. 4 and 7. 



On grass in meadows round London in May, and abun- 

 dant in June on trunks of trees in the New Forest. 



5. annulatus De Geer, vol. 6. p. 69. 



6. immaculatus Meig. p. 93. n. 7. — vanellus JFai.? — reconditus 

 Harris, pi. 31. f. 3. 



7. Lineola Fab. Meig. — Monachus Harris, pi. 31. f. 9. 

 End of July, Coombe Wood and Lake of Killarney; 1st 



August, Roundstone in Connemara. 



8. notatus Gurtl. Meig. p. 95. n. 11. 



June, near Cambridge ; New Lanark, Mr. H. Walker. 

 The Plant is Erysimum officinale, Common Hedge Mustard. 



