10 



Orthorrhapha brachycera. 



five posterior cells and the anal cell open. Alula not developed. Alar 

 squamula small. 



I have not examined the larva and 

 pupa but they are described by Beling 

 (Arch. fiir Natgesch. Jahrgang 41, 41 et 

 Jahrg. 48, 195); the larva has a length up 

 to 12 mm. with a diameter of 2 mm.; it is 

 cylindrical, vi^hite, fmely striated longitudi- 

 nally. Head small, brown, retractile, with 

 some long hairs. A transverse row of small 

 warts (Kriechschwielen), on the ventral side 

 of the sixth to the eleventh segment. The 

 larva is amphipneustic with spiracles on 

 prothorax and on the penultimate segment 

 (or the marked off front part of the last 

 Fig. 2. L. cylindrica, hind segment); the spiracles are small. The pupa 

 leg. x20. is 6 mm. long, 2 mm. thiek, yellowish white. 



The strongly diverging antennal sheaths lie on the under side of the 

 head. Each of the first seven abdominal segments has on the dorsal 

 side a row of six to eight brown spines directed backwards, and 

 moreover the segments are all round, beset with erect, thin, brownish 

 hairs, which are most dense towards the apex of the body. The 

 wing-sheaths reach to the hind margin of the second and the sheaths 

 of the legs to the hind margin of the fifth abdominal segment. 



The larvæ live in the earth ; they are found both in loamy soil on 

 fields and in humous earth; they hibernate and the transformation to 

 pupa and development of the imago take place in spring or summer. 



The species of Leptogaster have a characteristic appearance from 

 their long slender shape and the short wings; they occur both on open 

 fields and in thickets as also on commons near the shore; they fly 

 very dexterously in the high grass and herbage ; when sitting the hind 

 legs are generally stretched soraewhat forwards so that all six tarsi are 

 placed near to each other. I have never observed any Leptogaster 

 with prey. Zeller (Isis 1840, 34) mentions that he finds a striking 

 analogy between certain Asilids especially Leptogaster and the species 

 of Agrion, so much more easy to observe as species of both often 

 occur together in the same localities; this observation merits re- 

 membering as it is a very good one; there is in reality a striking 

 resemblance in the m anner of sitting, flying and to a certain degree 

 in the whole behaviour of the species of Leptogaster and those of 

 Agrion. Meigen already seems also to have had an eye for this 

 resemblance in so far as in Klass. europ. Zweifl. he calls Lepto- 



