370 Professor E. B. Poulton on 
II. LAPHRINA. 
The number of records in this sub-family is small, so 
small indeed that we can only reach provisional conclu- 
sions as to the preferences of the species. Mimicry of 
the Hymenoptera Aculeata is here more conspicuous than 
elsewhere among these predaceous flies. Lanvyra (Nos. 91, 
92) and Proagonistes (No. 98) are beautiful mimics of dark- 
winged Aculeates, and two out of the three recorded indi- 
viduals were preying upon Aculeates, although not upon 
their models. It is probable that these species present us 
with a case similar to Dasypogon diadema, where there is a 
general attack upon the Aculeata accompanied by mimicry 
of a type of colouring common and specially conspicuous, 
but by no means universal among the victims. The bee- 
like Laphria, sp. ? gilva (No. 89), was captured with a fly, 
Laphria gibbosa (Nos. 86, 87), a mimic of the heavy 
Bombus type of Aculeates, was twice, and the bee-like 
Hoplistomerus serripes (No. 79) once, recorded with a 
beetle. These species may probably be grouped with the 
common Asilus crabroniformis, mimetic of a specially 
abundant and conspicuous Aculeate type, but showing no 
preference for an Aculeate diet. Laphria flava (No. 88), 
—also Bombus-like—recorded with an ant, may perhaps 
belong to the same category as Lamyra and Proagonastes. 
The species of Laxenecera (Nos. 80-83)—all mimetic of 
Aculeates (bees) and all preying upon Aculeates although 
usually not upon their models—appear undoubtedly to be- 
long to this latter category. Hyperechia (Nos. 84, 85), 
long suggested as a specialized foe of the Aculeate genus 
Xylocopa (Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1904, p. 662, and Proc. 
1904, p. Ixxxvi), has now for the first time been proved to 
prey upon its model. It offers a case precisely parallel to 
that of Damalina. 
Not only are the Laphrinx here recorded more generally 
mimetic than the species of either of the other sub-families 
but their resemblances are curiously restricted to the group 
of bees (Anthophila), although Lamyra and Proagonistes 
offer magnificent exceptions. 
II]. ASILinz. 
Craspedia (No. 94), now shown for the first time to attack 
the ylocopidx, is probably a specialized foe of these bees, 
