Bombyliidae. 121 



parallel to each other, with the points protruding upwards; on the 

 last segments they ara weaker with only the posterior point protruding; 

 there is a row of long bristles on the first segment, and similarly on 

 the following segments between the hooklets; each segment has on 

 the ventral side a transverse row of long bristles. The last segment 

 has at the apex above a chitinous edge with two small spines, and 

 below a three-pointed spine at each side. The sheaths of the hind 

 metatarsi stretch out about at the end of the proboscis, and they 

 diverge somewhat. ^ There are prothoracic and seven pairs of abdo- 

 minal spiracles. — The larva and pupa of B. major are described by 

 Algernon Ghapman (Entom. Month. Mag. XIV, 1878, 196) ; they agree 

 in the main with the above descriptions, and the pupa also shoved 

 the curious palp-like organ. — Before the escape of the imago the 

 pupa works out of the cell and through the earth, to the surface, by 

 aid of its head and body armature ; the cast pupa-skin may be found 

 sticking out of the ground. 



The egg-deposition was not observed by Nielsen, but it has been 

 observed by Algernon Ghapman (1. c.) in a small, brown species and 

 I may quote what he says: "The fly would approach the bank within 

 an inch or so, and carefully examine it, and, if satisfied, would make 

 a little sudden swoop, bringing the extremity of the body close to 

 the bank, by passing from a horizontal to a sloping attitude, yet not 

 touching it, the small white egg being seen to be thrown with a 

 short jerk against the bank." 



The larvæ live parasitically on the larvæ of solitary bees. Already 

 Latreille (Gen. Grust. et Ins.) thought, that the larvæ lived parasitically, 

 while Macquart (Suit. a Buff. I, 1835, 376) believed, that they lived 

 in the earth and Zetterstedt (Ins. Lap. 510) that they fed upon roots 



1 Brauer (Denkschr. Kais. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math. Nat. Cl. XLVII, 1883, 27) de- 

 scribes the mouth parts of the larvæ (Bombylina) somewhat erroneously, and 

 he has not found mandibles; he thinks these are wanting or connected with 

 the maxillæ; in Anthrax on the contrary he found the mandibles. — In de- 

 scribing the pupa of B. major he says: "Die Spitze der Riisselscheide erscheint 

 wie der Fuss eines Zweihufers und steht mit den zvvei Spitzen mehr nach 

 hinten." and p. 28 he says about the Asilid pupa: "Die Riisselscheide ragt 

 jedoch nie als stark chitinose, braune gabelig getheilte Platte vor, wie das bei 

 Bombyliden der Fall ist." I have not seen such a structure in B. minor, and 

 it is not described nor figured with regard to B. major; it is not clear what 

 Brauer's statements mean; one would be inclined to think that in the first 

 quoted place he has considered the sheaths of the hind metatarsi which stretch 

 out just at the end of the proboscis and are somewhat divergent as belonging 

 to the proboscis; in the latter place he seems to refer to the two spines on 

 the under side of the head which are placed on the base of the proboscis. 



