At first sight Conops appears to be closely allied to Ceria, 

 already figured in our 186th plate, but a very slight compari- 

 son will show that the neuration of the wings is totally diffe- 

 rent, and that the trophi are very dissimilar. I must however 

 confess that I should like our arrangement much better, if the 

 Dolichopidae were removed nearer to the Empidae, which would 

 bring the Syrphidae in contact with the Conopsidae, and the 

 above two genera might then form the transition of the groups. 

 In my " Guide" I have purposely followed Meigen's arrange- 

 ment for the sake of easy reference, his being the only good 

 book we have on the Diptera. 



The following are British species of this pretty genus. 



1. C. vesicularis Linn. F. S. 468. 1903. — cylindrica Meig. 



Klass. mas. 

 June 10th, New Forest. J. C. Dale, Esq. 



2. C.flavipes Linn. F.S. 1904>.—Panz. 73. 21 & 22.— macro- 



cephala Sa7n. pi. 9.f. 8. 

 End of July, Birch-wood on umbellate flowers. J. C. — 

 August, on the Golden-rod in the garden at Southgate. F. 

 Walker, Esq. — September 5th, Cottrel-clough near Manches- 

 ter. Mr. R. Cribbs. 



S. C. 4-fasciata DeG. v. 6. tab. 15. f. 1. — aculeata Fab. — ve- 

 sicularis Harris pi. ^O.f. 1? 

 At Birch-wood and Southgate, with No. 2. 



4. C. aculeata Linn. F. S. 1906. — macrocephala Harris pi. 20. 



/ 2 & 3. 

 June, hedges. Mr. Samouelle. 



5. C. rufipes Fab. Ent. Syst. 4. 392. 5. — petiolata Don. 13. 



pi. 451. 



August, Knowl Hill, Dorset. J. C. Dale, Esq. Southgate, 

 with Nos. 2 and 3. In plenty on umbelliferous flowers by 

 the side of a field, close to a plantation at Hethersett, Norfolk. 

 Henry Browne, Esq. 



Latreille says of this species, "a recent insect with theVings 

 as yet soft was declared to have been twice observed coming 

 out of the body of a Bombus" ! 



6. C. macrocephala Linn. — Curtis Brit. Ent. pi. 377. 



A single specimen, in company with Nos. 2 and 5, was taken 

 the 18th August, 1824, on the Scabiosa succisa (pi. 40.) in a 

 meadow at West Hurn, Hants, by J. C. Dale, Esq. 



7. C. ceriseformis Meg.— Meig. 4. 132. 16. tab. S6.f. 26. 

 Taken in the neighbourhood of London. J. C. 



The Plant is Mcenchia {Sagina Linn.) erecta (Upright 

 Pearl-wort) ; communicated by the Rev. Professor Henslow. 



