288 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



common Diloplms vulgaris {Bibionidce) , together with their pupa- 

 cases, which had been bred, as he informed me, by Mr. F. Norgate 

 from larvfe of Catoptria hypericana. The Dilophi have always 

 been supposed to be vegetable feeders, the larvae eating the roots 

 of grass, &c. They often swarm in great numbers in the autumn, 

 and I need not say that this is not the habit of the parasitic 

 flies, which though numerous as species are scarce as individuals. 

 I think there must have been some mistake in the matter, but 

 record the observation to stimulate further researches. 



I will now conclude my remarks by giving a list of those 

 Tachinids whose origin is known to me. It will be seen that 

 some prey upon a number of different larvae, while others appear 

 always to attack the same species. I shall follow no arrange- 

 ment, but commence with the most common parasite. 

 ExoRisTA VULGARIS, Fallen. 



I have received specimens of this fly from several corre- 

 spondents, whom I will mention in alphabetical order, giving 

 the names of the insects from which they were bred. 



Mr. Bignell, of Stonehouse, sent me specimens bred from 

 Tceniocampa stahilis, Polia Jiarocincta, Notodonta camelina, 

 Hyhernia defoliana, Vanessa urticce, Tortrix ribeana, Abraxas 

 grossulariata, and Euholia cervinaria. 



Mr. Bridgman, from Sphinx ligustri. 



Mr. Fitch, from Simyra venosa, Phlogoplwra meticulosa, and 

 Zygana filipendidce. 



Mr. Fletcher, of Worcester, from Pieris rapes and Abraxas 

 grossidariata. 



Mr. Mosley, of Huddersfield, from Odonestis potatoria and 

 Antlwcliaris cardamincs. 



Mr. Porritt, of Huddersfield, from Odonestis potatoria. 



This ubiquitous parasite varies so much in size, colour, and 

 even in structure, that several varieties have been made by 

 E. Desvoidy and Macquart into distinct species ; most of these 

 are, doubtless, only varieties of one species, but I believe that 

 two or three distinct ones have been confounded together, though 

 I have not yet been able to separate them by any really 

 distinctive characters. 



EXORISTA GRANDIS, Zctt. 



This fine species has been bred from Saturnia carpini by 

 Mr. Bignell, Mr. Fitch, Mr. Mosley and Mr. Sang. 



