Report of the State Entomologist 233 



The Fly. 

 The fly is among the handsomest of its family. Its principal fea- 

 tures are the three black thoracic stripes on a dull yellow ground; four 

 large yellow spots on the sides of the abdomen above, nearly meeting 

 on the middle of the back; and a narrow yellow band on the segment 

 following the spots. The face is yellowish, covered with a light pile. 

 The legs are yellow and black. The wings are hj'aline. Its length is 

 from five to six-tenths of an inch. For a detailed description the 

 student may refer to Dr. Willeston's monograph as cited. 



Distribution of the Species. 

 H. latifrons would appear to be more particularly a western species. 

 Baron Osten Sacken having observed it abundantly in the environs of 

 San Francisco, Cal., and having received it from the Eed River of the 

 North. Dr. Loew's type specimens came from Nebraska. Professor 

 Comstock has received a number of examples from Montana. Dr. 

 Williston has examined many from the Rocky mountains and Pacific 

 regions, while he also finds it in its eastern extension, to be the most 

 common species of its genus in New England. I have only taken a 

 single example of it in New York — at Keene Valley, Adiroudacks, on 

 August thirtieth — owing, perhaps, to my seldom making field collec- 

 tions during the late summer, when it may be of more frequent 

 occurrence. Of its closely allied species, H. similis Macquart, twenty- 

 four specimens (13 males and 11 females), were taken by me at Piseco 

 lake, Hamilton county (Adirondack region), on the 30th and 31st of 

 August, 1889, fi'om the flowers of a low-growing golden rod [Solidago) 

 overspreading a pasture. 



Not an Injurious Species — The Syrphidee not Harmful. 



From the preceding statement of larval habits, it will be seen that 

 the species is not an injurious one, unless the fly, in its visits to 

 flowers, should be found justly chargeable with the injury that is 

 suspected of Eridalis tenax — of soiling the petals of some delicately 

 colored flowers. 



None of the species of the Syrphidce are known to be positively 

 injurious, while many of them in their larval stage render most excel- 

 lent service to the agriculturist and florist in the myriads of the 

 destructive family of plant-lice (Aphididce) that they devour, and upon 

 which they exclusively live. 



One of the species, however, Mesograpta polita Say, although belong- 

 ing to an aphis-eating tribe, has recently won for itself the name of 

 " the corn-feeding Syrphus-fly," from its having been found to feed 

 as a larva, on corn. It has been detected in New Jersey, feeding, in 



