WERNER MARCHAND 99 



Westwood (1840) has briefly translated Degeer's description, and 

 I give his summary to complement the above rather imperfect trans- 

 lation : 



The larva of Tabaiius bovinus Degeer (L) is found in the earth, and is of an 

 elongated subcylindric form, attentuated at each end, especially in front; it is 

 destitute of feet, twelve-jointed, having the head distinct, narrow, elongate, 

 horny, armed with two strong curved hooks, antennae, and palpi; the fourth to the 

 tenth segments having an elevated dorsal papillose ridge used in progression; 

 the terminal segment is minute and tuberculiforni; the pupa is naked, incomplete, 

 elongated, subcylindric, with six spines at the end of the body; the margins of 

 the abdominal segments cihated, and the forehead bi-tubercled." 



Westwood also reproduced Degeer's figures, though very imper- 

 fectly; also Macquart, 1834. 



No further observations have been published on the early stages of 

 this species, since Degeer. 



Tabanus bromius Linne. — ^The larvas of Tahanus hromius live, ac- 

 cording to Beling, by preference in the grass-covered soil of meadows, 

 fields, and similar places. They are often brought to the surface by 

 moles, and in the spring and summer, 1874, Beling found them, as 

 also later on the pupae, especially frequently on meadows in fresh 

 mole hills. The pupal stage lasts usually between two and three 

 weeks, and the imagos begin to appear in the second half of the 

 month of June. The larvte feed by sucking the contents of earth- 

 worms, larvas and pupse of other insects, and, if there is lack of other 

 food, of their own kind, but they seem to be able to subsist in case 

 of necessity on earth alone, in which, as Beling says, he kept them 

 for months until pupation, 



I assume that the larvce, if they subsist on earth, will in fact sub- 

 sist on its organic contents in a similar way, as is the case with earth- 

 worms. Moreover, small earthworms and insect larvae are easily 

 overlooked by the observer if the earth used is not specially sterilized. 



Larva. — Length up to 16 mm., width 4 mm., color pale yellow, strong, silky, 

 shining, with distinct dense and fine longitudinal striation, with twelve body 

 segments, excepting the small narrow brown head, which can be retracted into the 

 first segment. The latter in the middle of dorsal surface with a wall like longi- 

 tudinal prominence, which is covered in its anterior part with short hairs, and on 



