THE DRONE-FLY. 617 



and the proboscis is stretched forward and about as long as tlie 

 head. There are many of these insects, and as their habits are 

 very similar we will take the present species as an example. 



The Great Hor^vet Fly {Asilus crahroniformis) is shown on 

 Woodcut LXXI. Fig. 1. Its colouring is simple, but exceed- 

 ingly bold. The thorax is chrome-yellow, rather darker behind, 

 and two blackish stripes run parallel to each other on the back. 

 The basal half of the abdomen is velvet-black, and the rest 

 bright chrome-yellow. The wings are yellow and so are the 

 legs. 



At a little distance this insect really looks very much like a 

 hornet, and it has all the predacious habits of that insect. It 

 is seldom seen without a fly or other insect in its grasp, the 

 fore-legs clasping it firmly and the beak driven into the body 

 of its victim. It is spread over the whole of England, but 

 prefers sea-side downs and similar places. My own specimens 

 were all taken on the great rolling chalk-downs of Wiltshire. 



It has rather a peculiar mode of flight. It keeps near the 

 ground, and there waits until it feels that it is in danger, when 

 it rises and, with a sort of uncertain drifting movement, flies 

 some ten or twelve yards, and then settles again. If followed 

 up it is easily taken, as it soon appears to tire of these repeated 

 flushings, and allows the pursuer to come quite close before it 

 will move. This is by far the handsomest and most con- 

 spicuous of its family, all the others being comparatively dull. 

 At Fig. a is shown the tarsus of this insect. 



The next family which comes before us is the large and 

 important family of the Syrphidce, popularly known as Hoverers, 

 Hawk-flies, and Drone-Flies. In this family the head is hemi- 

 spherical, and in the males the greater portion of it is occupied 

 by the eyes. The antennseare three-jointed, and bear a bristle, 

 as seen at Fig. c on Woodcut LXXI. There are several perfect 

 cells in the wings. 



We shall take several examples of this large family, on 

 account of the peculiar habits of their larvse. 



On Woodcut LXXI. Fig. 4 is shown ths common Drone-Fly 

 {EHstalis tenax), which is so plentiful in the summer time, 

 and is so often taken for a bee on account of its form, colour, 



