OBSERVATIONS ON PIPUNCULID/E. 263 



Corpus parvum, lineare aut sublineare : caput magnum, thorace 

 latius, fere hemisphaericum : oculi maximi, caput fere totum 

 occupantes : ocelli 3 mediocres, approximati, supra verticem 

 trigone dispositi : antennae 4-articulatae, parvae, capite breviores ; 

 articulus l us . minimus ; 2 US . mediocris, cyathiformis ; 3 US . longior, 

 latus, compressus ; 4 US . setiformis, 3 s . basi proximus : hypostoma 

 angustum : os parvum, occultum ; labium breve ; maxipalpi 

 longi, apice crassiores ; mandibulae brevissimse : thorax convexus, 

 longior quam latus : prothorax minimus, supra vix conspicuus : 

 mesothoracis scutum maximum, nonnunquam indistincte bili- 

 neatum ; scutellum mediocre, semicirculum fmgens : man's ab- 

 domen segmentis 6, thorace multd longius, plerumque sublineare, 

 apice obtusum ; segmenta 5 aut 6 subtus conspicua : fern, ab- 

 domen segmentis 7 ; apicale parvum, subtus abdomen recurvum, 

 oviductu corneo acuminato terminatum : pedes breves, sub- 

 aequales, spinis nigris brevissimis instructis armati ; coxae 

 mediocres ; femora subincrassata ; tibiae quasi contortae, paullo 

 arcuatoe, subclavatae ; tarsi lati ; articulus l us . longus ; 2 US . brevis ; 

 3 US . et 4 US . brevissimi ; 5 US . 2°. paullo longior ; ungues longi, 

 graciles : alae incumbentes parallelae, plerumque angustae et 

 corpore longiores, piiis vix conspicuis dense vestitae ; nervus 

 costalis pilosus, paull6 ultra alae apicem productus : nervus 

 secundarius et nervus auxiliaris basi conjunct]', hie ultra, ille 

 paulld ante costae medium nervum costalem attingentes : nervus 

 2 US . et 3 US . nervo auxiliari orti, basi conjuncti, hie multo ante, ille 

 prope alae apicem nervum costalem attingentes : nervus 4 US . aut 

 perfectus, aut valde abbreviatus ; nervus 5 US . alae marginem 

 posticum attingens ; nervi 2 breves, incompleti, unus alae basi, 

 alter nervo 5°. emissus et nonnunquam obsoletus : nervulus 

 transversus medius brevissimus : cellulae costales et basales 

 longae, angustae ; marginales magnae, irregulares, apicem versus 

 plerumque latiores : halteres et squamae parva. 



In form they are very peculiar, and have but little resem- 

 blance to the other families of Diptera. They are nearest 

 allied to the Syrjjhites, particularly to Paragus and Sphegma, 

 but the structure of the mouth is more simple, and somewhat 

 resembling that of Scenopinus, the Platypezidce, and the 

 Muscites. Like the Syrphites, they fly well, and are often 

 seen hovering in the air, but they walk slowly, and have feet 

 more adapted for climbing than for running. They slightly 

 resemble the Platypezidcc externally, but have no affinity to 

 the Muscites. The species may be found from spring to 



