Bombyliidae. 129 



inserted a small spine (perhaps answering to a fourth joint). ^ Epi- 

 stoma very small, the mouth aperture large and nearly reaching the 

 antennæ; it looks downwards and somewhat forwards. The oral cone 

 well developed; clypeus horseshoe-shaped with long arms stretching 

 nearly from the antennæ to the labrum. The mouth parts resembling 

 those in Bomhylius', on the posterior side of the oral cone lie the 

 stipites of the maxillæ ; proboscis long, more than half as long as the 

 body, directed forwards and somewhat downwards. Labrum triangular, 

 longpointed, reaching to the end of the second joint of the labella; 

 hypopharynx a chitinous blade as long as the labrum; the maxillæ 

 are very thin, thread-like and likewise as long as the labrum; the 

 maxillary palpi small, one-jointed. Labium long, the basal part about 

 four times as long as the labella; these latter are narrow, distinctly 

 two-jointed. Thorax almost quadrate; no macrochætæ visible; meta- 

 pleura bare, Abdomen consisting of seven not transformed segments, 

 in the male it is somewhat narrow, narrower than thorax, in the 

 female it is shorter and broader, as broad as thorax. The genitalia, 

 so far as I could ascertain by examining with a lens, seem to resemble 

 somewhat those in Bomhylius. Legs without bristles or with some 

 very small ones on the hind tibiæ; the apical spurs likewise small. 

 Claws small; pulvilli distinct, empodium rudimentary. Wings with 

 the first posterior cell open, the anal cell closed at a little distance 

 before the margin; otherwise the wings as in Bomhylius. Alula well 

 developed ; alar squamula with a short fringe at the margin ; frenulum 

 without long hairs. 



So far as I am aware the developmental stages of this genus are 

 not known. 



The species of Phthiria occur especially on sandy piaces, and 

 they frequent flowers which they suck with the long proboscis. 



Of the genus 15 species are known from the palæarctic region, 

 2 have hitherto been found in Denmark. 



Table of Species. 

 \. Face and frons very prominent in the male, with long. mainly 



black hairs; the cubital fork somewhat long 1. puUcaria. 



— Face and frons slightly prominent in the male, with short, 



white hairs ; the cubital fork shorter 2. canescens. 



\. Ph. pulicaria Mikan. 

 1796. Mikan, Mon. Bomb. Bohem. 58,14, Tab. IV, Fig. U {Bomhylius). 



— 1842. Zett. Dipt. Scand. I, 194, 1, p.p. et 1849. VIII, 2979, 1. — 1846. 



' Tilis structure of the antennæ fuUy agrees with Meigen's statement (Syst. Besch. 

 II, 217) that they have a small, double style of unequal thickness, because it 

 appears so when seen with a lens. 



Diptera Danica. II. 9 



