BY ARTHUR WHITi:. 183 



Family VIII. BOMBYLID.E 



Moderate-sized or rather large sun-loving flies ; thoracic 

 bristles usually present, but these are often concealed under 

 dense furry pubescence; proboscis frequently much elon- 

 gated; legs thin and slender and almost without bristles; 

 wings with only three or four posterior cells. 



Proboscis usually very long, though sometimes short- 

 Vertex not at all sunk between the eyes, which are bare, 

 usually touching or closely approximated in the male, and 

 widely separated in the female, but occasionally touching 

 in botii sexes. Antennae porrect, the third joint never 

 .•innulated, but usually provided with a short style or a 

 circlet of bristly hairs. Thorax often without any con- 

 spicuous bristles, but presutural, supraalar, and postalar 

 bristles may be present; both thorax and abdomen often 

 clothed with dense furry pubescence, or, rarely, with dis- 

 tinct scales. Legs thin and slender, either bare or with 

 small weak bristles. Wings with only three or four pos- 

 terior ceils ; submarginal cells varying from one to five in 

 number ; discal cell occasionally wanting ; anal cell long, 

 either closed or open ; the radial and upper branch of the 

 cubital vein frequently curved upwards, but in a few 

 genera the cubital vein is unforked. 



This family contains the well known bee-flies [Bomhylius 

 and Sysfoechus), which may often be seen hovering over 

 flowers in the spring time. Species of Geron occur settled 

 on flowers w^ithout hovering, those of Argi/ramceba fre- 

 quent charred logs in the bush, those of Anthrax and 

 Compfoiiia occur settled on the ground in hot sunny places. 

 Some difference of opinion exists as to the division of the 

 BomhylidcB into subfamilies. Personally, so far as the Aus- 

 tralian species are concerned, I recognise four sub- 

 families, the BomhyUncc, Lomati7ioe, Systropince, and 

 Anthracinas, the limits of all or which are well marked, 

 but if it is desired to subdivide the family further, then 

 the genus Cyrtomorpha would be placed in the PlatyjjygincB, 

 and the genus Marmaxoma in the ToxophorincE. Three of 

 rlie four Australian subfamilies are represented in Tas- 

 mania. 



Table of the Tasmanian >Svh families of Bomhylidce. 



1. The bifurcation of the radial and cubital veins 

 takes place at a right angle, almost opposite the 

 median cross-vein. Anthraeinae. 



The bifurcation of the radial and cubital veins 

 takes place at an acute angle, at a considerable 

 distance from the anterior cross-vein, 2" 



