2 PIPUNCULID.E. 



tibitB generally a little twisted about the middle ; tarsi with afew 

 long liairs at" tips of joints ; claws rather long, pulvilli distinct, 

 enipodiuni hair-like. 



Wings very long, in Fipunculus each wing generally longer 

 than the whole body, but not unduly narrowed. Auxiliary, 1st 

 and 2nd veins moderately long ; auxiliary ending about middle of 

 costa; 2nd ending well before wing-tip; 3rd vein simple, ending 

 approximately at wing-tip, normally gently sinuous ; anterior 

 cross-vein before, at, or after middle of discal cell ; 4th vein long, 

 sinuous, ending a little below tip of 3rd, so that the 1st posterior 

 cell is very broad in the middle, though narrow at both base and 

 tip; 5th vein forked rather widely near base of discal cell, form- 

 ing the lower side of it, the cell closed by the discal cross-vein ; 

 anal cell elongate, pointed at tip, closed a little before the border; 

 anal vein reaching wing-border {Piimnculus) or shortened {Cha- 

 larus). One submarginal cell, three posterior cells (Fijnmcidus), 

 or two only(C7ta7ar»s)by the fusion of the 1st and 2nd. Squamae 

 very small. In Chalarus the discal cell is absent, as the 4th vein 

 ends shortly beyond the anterior cross-vein. 



The PipunculidtE are easily recognized by their small size, 

 proportionately very large, almost globular head, cylindrical bare 

 body, long wings and peculiar venation, conspicuous by the great 

 width of the 1st posterior cell at its middle with narrow base and 

 tip. Tiiey are obscure in colour, never really common, appearing 

 sparingly' amongst low herbage. They are exquisite hoverers*, 

 and are closely aUied to the Syrphid^ and Plattpezid^, from 

 both of which the venation easily separates them ; whilst they 

 have affinities with the Conopid^ in the cylindrical curved body, 

 in their parasitic nature and in the venation, the only difference 

 being in the open 1st posterior cell, which is normally closed in 

 CoNOPiD^ as in Syrphid^. 



Life-history. The larvae, so far as known, are all internal 

 parasites in the bodies of Homoptera. They are maggots of 

 fairly typical cyclorrhaphous form, amphipneustic (in the final 

 stage at least) and acephalous. The mouth-parts are very indis- 

 tinct and the segments of the body indefinitely demarcated, probably 

 10 or 11 ill number ; anterior spiracles small, posterior con- 

 spicuous, near together and at some considerable distance before 

 tip of body. Puparium short, obtusely rounded at ends, with 

 spiracular tubercles on (?) 2nd segment, with or without other 

 anterior minute spiracles. Emergence is effected by detachment 

 of the dorsal plate, through which the spiracular horns project. 

 Boheman has studied the metamorphoses of the European 

 Pipuncidus fascipes, which is parasitic on Thamnotettix {Cicadula). 

 Valuable information on the biology of certain species is given by 

 E. C. L. Perkins (Report Exj). Station, Hawaiian Sugar Planters' 



* Yerrall considered them the finest hoverers in the wliole of the Diptera, 

 and asserted that he had seen tbem hover in the folds of a butterfly net. 



