( clx ) 



area, for both of which structures the figure will tell much 

 more than words. The harpagones are of a fair size with their 

 lower extremity slightly elongated into short round apices, 

 from the centre of which a short spine is emitted ; the 

 sedoeagus is a very long narrow tube curved right round near 

 its origin. The whole armature is peculiarly interesting, 

 and a study of the family in this particular should prove of 

 the greatest value. 



In the Cyclorrhapha 



the Syrphidae are provided with a very varied and well- 

 developed apparatus. If, as seems probable, mating is by 

 capture, and the hovering habit would seem to point to this, 

 then it is evident that it would be an advantage to the race to 

 have very efl&cient clasping organs. 



Chrysotoxum cautum. 



The tegumen is asymmetrically deeply bifid, the peculiar 

 feature of this asymmetry being that the left side (looking 

 towards the telum) is always decidedly shorter, with the curved 

 apex shorter and heavier. It appears to me that the tegumen 

 in this and other similar cases must replace the harpagones 

 functionally, these organs (the harpagones) being so reduced 

 in size that their power of grasping must be very small, in 

 this species they are cone-shaped and are articulated to the 

 basal plates. The girdle as a defined organ is practically 

 absent in this order ; the sedoeagus is smallish, gradually 

 tapering to a bluntly pointed apex. At the base of the tegu- 

 men on the dorsum are two small lobe-like processes covered 

 with fine short hairs. 



Eristalis pertinax. 



This genus also has the tegumen deeply bifid, the lobes 

 just referred to in the previous description are larger and more 

 prominent, whilst the bifid arms of the tegumen are spatulate 

 and not so large ; the harpagones are quite insignificant, 

 close on the venter, and terminate in a fine point. 



Sericomyia horealis 



retains the small lobes in the rear of the tegumen, which, 

 however, is not bifid but has a large uncal termination ending 



