of the immortal Linnaeus, have increased our subjects to so 

 great an extent, that the Genera of that illustrious man now 

 form (as in the present instance) natural families composed of 

 groups which modern authors have found it necessary and 

 convenient to constitute into Genera, thereby rendering the 

 investigation, so far as relates to species, much more easy and 

 intelligible. 



Meigen describes 56 European Asili ; about 11 of them 

 are British, amongst which are, A. crabroniformis L. ; 

 forcipatus L. ; cestivus Schr. ; opacus G'lirth. ; germanicus L. ; 

 albipes Meig. ; &c. 



The Asilus of the Romans (Mr. W. S. MacLeay observes 

 in the Linnean Transactions) was the CEstrus of the Greeks 

 and the Hocmatopota of the present system, a fly exceedingly 

 annoying to horses, whereas our Asili prey upon other insects, 

 especially the Diptera ; they prefer resting upon the ground, 

 particularly in sandy situations ; and the larvae feed upon the 

 roots of plants under ground, where they change to pupae 

 covered with spines. 



One of the most beautiful of our species is A. crabroniformis^ 

 (figured by Donovan, v. 5. pi. 180.) which is not uncommon 

 about heaths and commons from June to September: the 

 rarest sjjccies at present known is A. germanicus (a male of 

 which is figured) : two specimens are preserved in the British 

 Museum, sent from Bristol by Mr. Millard. It has also been 

 observed in Devonshire. 



The plant given in the plate is Fumaria claviculata (Climb- 

 ing Fumitory). 



