Fabriciiis described an Empis davipes with which we are 

 unacquainted, and therefore cannot ascertam whether it be a 

 true Empis or an Hilara. As no figure has hitherto appeared 

 of the female, we have preferred giving that sex, with a fore 

 leo- of the male. Although it has not been uncommon in the 

 neighbourhood of London the last two years, we know of no 

 cabinet in which it was to be found, until we gave it to our 

 friends Mr. Dale and Mr. Stephens. The latter gentleman 

 possesses the following British species, 



1 H. cilipes Meig. 



2 globulipes Meig. — B. senilis Panz. 54. 3. 



3 chorica Fall., Meig. 



4 nigrina Fall., Meig. 



5 clypeata Meig. 



6 manicata Meig. 



7 modesta Meig. 



8 interstincta Fall., Meig. 



9 fuscipes Fab., Meig. 



10 4-vittata Wied., Meig. 



11 pruinosa Meg., Meig. 



12 litorea Fall., Meig. 



13 lurida Fall., Meig. 



14 flavipes Meig. — E. acephala Panz. 54. 24. 



15 obscura Meig. 



16 fasciata Meig. 



H. cilipes is to be seen the whole day flying about little 

 swamps and stagnant water, and alighting upon the surround- 

 ing plants in the month of May, amongst which we parti- 

 cularly noticed the flower introduced in the plate, which from 

 its being the only white one, might be the cause of attraction. 



I was much amused at the end of the same month by 

 another species (probably H. globulipes) which was flying in 

 multitudes over a pond at Hampstead, close to the surface : 

 upon a closer view I saw the males frequently alight upon 

 drowned gnats (Culices), holding with their dilated fore feet 

 and whirling about the water with them ; probably extracting 

 nutrition from them at the time. 



Stellaria holostea (Greater Stitch-wort) accompanies the 

 insect. 



