DIPTERA. 487 



brown or drab-colored fly, somewhat like a horse-fly in form, 

 but easily distinguished therefrom by two little thorns on the 

 hinder part of the thorax ; and by the wings, which do not 

 spread so much when the insect is at rest. It is heavy and 

 sluggish in its motions, and does not attempt to fly away when 

 approached. This insect was called Cwriomyia pallida^ the pale 

 Cojnomyia, by Mr. Say, in the Appendix to Keating's " NaiTa- 

 tive," and in the second volume of the " American Entomolo- 

 gy," where it is figured. The generical name, signifying a 

 common fly, is rather unfortunate, for this is a rare insect. 

 The only specimens known to Mr. Say were found by him in a 

 small forest of scattered trees, on the Pecktannos river, in Wis- 

 consin Territory. A few have been taken in Massachusetts, 

 one of them on Blue Hill, in Milton; and Mi'. Gosse found 

 three specimens, in as many years, in Canada. In its trans- 

 formations this insect is more nearly related to the gad-flies 

 and the Asilians than to the soldier-flies, near which it has 

 generally been placed ; though it approaches the latter in its 

 structure, and in its sluggish habits. The larvae or maggots, 

 though not yet discovered, undoubtedly live in the ground, or 

 in decayed vegetable substances, like those of the horse-flies 

 and other predatory insects; for Mr. Gosse found one of his 

 specimens, on the grass, in the act of emerging from the pupa- 

 skin. He has also figured* the pupa, which is of a chestnut- 

 brown color, and has transverse rows of spines on the abdom- 

 inal rings. 



Most of the soldier-flies (Stratiomyace) are armed with 

 two thorns or sharp spines on the hinder part of the thorax. 

 They form the first family of the flies that undergo their trans- 

 formations within the hardened skin of the larva, which is not 

 thrown oft" till they break through it to come out in the winged 

 state. Their proboscis contains, at most, only four bristles, is 

 not fitted for piercing, but ends with large fleshy lips, by means 

 whereof these flies suck the sweet juices of flowers. Most of 

 them are found in wet places, where their larvag live ; some of 

 the latter being provided with a tube, in the hinder extremity, 



* " Canadian Naturalist," p. 199. 



