35 



Genus 



H/EMATOPOTA, Meigen. 



Haematopota pluvialis, Linn. 



Plate 1 1. — Fig. i, cJ ; fig. 2, ? . 



This species is one of the commonest and most generall}^ dis- 

 tributed of British blood-sucking flies. It occurs throughout the 

 British Islands, and is even to be met with in London suburbs, as 

 shown by a specimen taken at Fulham, on July 12th, 1891. The 

 dates on the specimens in the Museum collection prove that the 

 perfect insect is on the wing from June to August inclusive. On 

 the continent of Europe H. pluvialis is equally widely distributed, 

 and the Museum series includes examples from various localities, 

 from Norway to Ital)' and Spain. 



With reference to this species Curtis writes (' British Entomology,' 

 1834) that it is " common ever)'where in woods, on palings in lanes 

 &c., in June, Jul)-, and August, in England, Scotland, and Ireland ; 

 the females, which attack both men and horses, sometimes appear in 

 m\'riads without one male." 



The preliminary stages of H. pluvialis are passed in the soil 

 (humus). 



Haematopota crassicornis, Whlbg. 

 Plate 12. 



Care is needed for the distinction of this species from the foregoing, 

 with which it agrees in distribution. So far as coloration, however, 

 goes, H. crassicornis is distinctly the darker species of the two, 

 while in both sex'es the light stripes on the thorax are more 

 conspicuous. 



