533. 



GONIA RUFICEPS? 



Order Diptera. Fam. Musciclae. 



Type of the Genus, Musca capitata De Geer. 

 GoNiA Mcig., Curt. — Tachina Fall. — Musca De G. 



Antenna received into a cavity in front of the face, contiguous, 

 long, nutant and 6-jointed ; 1st and 2nd joints short, somewhat 

 cup-shaped, and very bristly outside, the latter longer in the 

 females, 3rd very long, velvety, subelliptic and compressed, the 

 remainder forming a velvety seta, densely clothed with short 

 hairs, 4th inserted near the base of the 3rd, minute, 5th long, 

 linear, curved at the base, 6th forming an obtuse angle, shorter 

 than the 5th and acuminated (3). 



Labrum slender and lanceolate, considerably shorter than the 

 liV ihb). 



Tongue only half the length of the labrum, linear and rounded 

 at the apex (c). 



Maxilla: very minute, placed far behind the labrum. Palpi longer 

 than the labrum, curved and pilose at the apex {f). 

 Labium long, terminated by '1 pilose lips {g). 

 Trophi received into an elongated cavity at the bottom of the face, with 

 bristles on each side. Head large and often dilated, the crown 

 clothed with bristles, (2 profile, 2* f-ont view) : Eyes not large, 

 lateral, very remote and ovate : ocelli 3 on the crown in triangle. 

 Thorax globose, quadrate, bristly : scutellum semi-orbicular. Ab- 

 domen ovate, convex, composed of 4 segments, clothed with fine 

 hairs and bristles. Wings divaricating in repose, not long but broad, 

 with the 2 posterior cells closed by oblique nervures (9) .• squamulse 

 large and concealing the halteres which are small and capitate. Legs 

 bristly : tibiae with the middle and hinder pairs bristly : tarsi spiny, 

 5-jointed, basal joint the longest, 5th the shortest : claws distinct : 

 pulvilli bilobed. 



RuFicEPS Meig. ? — Curt. Guide, Gen. 1282. 8. 



In the Cabinets of Mr. W. Clifton and the Author. 



GoNi A is closely allied to Tachina, from which it is distinguished 

 by the geniculated seta to the antennae. The oecononiy of the 

 Gonias being unknown, the following observations, transmitted 

 to me by my friend Mr. Clifton, may be acceptable to the en- 

 tomologist. " In April last I saw hundreds of specimens of 

 G. capitata flying about the extensive sand-hills between Bou- 

 logne and Etaples, and at the same time I observed numerous 

 hairy caterpillars of a dark colour, many of which were to be 

 seen lying on the sand almost dead; and although at the time 

 I concluded they were victims to the large sand wasps, which 

 were occasionall}' to be seen dragging the lifeless corps to its 

 charnel house as food for its future young, yet it has since 

 occurred to me that it is possible some of them might have 

 been pierced by the Goniie, as my brother and myself re- 



