It is singular we should possess only I species of this fine 

 genus, of which there are 32 described by Meigen in his work 

 upon European Diptera ; there are indeed two specimens in 

 the cabinet of the British Museum which may be distinct from 

 Laphria nigra, as they are somewhat different, but it is very 

 doubtful. 



It has been before observed that the family AsilidcB em- 

 braces the genus Asilus of Linnaeus, with which Laphria gilva 

 (the type) was associated : it will however be evident on com- 

 parison with plate 46 that their structure is very different : we 

 need here only notice the form of the antennae and lip, and 

 the articulate palpi. 



Laphria nigra appears to be partial to nut-trees, upon the 

 leaves of which I took a male in a very hot day in the month 

 of June 1821, in DarentWood, Kent, since which 1 have not 

 met with it. In the neighbourhood of London it occasionally 

 appears, and has been captured by Mr. Stephens at Darent, 

 and at Coombe Wood by Mr. Westwood the middle of June : 

 it is, however, by no means a common insect, and has never 

 before been figured. 



Sison Amomum (Bastard Stone Parsley) is figured in the 

 plate. 



