224 CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



Bird's-beaked flies or Empties. Larva inhabits the 

 earth, elongate, incrassated posteriorly. Pupa elongate, 

 has four long bristles on the head ; the segments of the 

 abdomen are also furnished at the extremity with rows of 

 bristles. Imago with antennae five-jointed ; the basal 

 joint oblong, the second nearly globular, the three forming 

 the apical portion often united, of different proportions in 

 different genera ; ligula very long, slender, recurved, con- 

 taining elongate, acute maxilla, &c., and resembling very 

 much the beak of a bird ; ocelli three ; wings large, parti- 

 cularly wide in the female ; alula small or obsolete ; body 

 rather hairy, linear, slender. Inhabits woods, lanes, and 

 gardens, preying on other insects. Hilara, Gloma, Empis, 

 Rhamphomyia, Hybos. 



Tachydromiites. Larva and pupa unknown. Imago 

 with antenna five-jointed ; the basal and second joints 

 oblong, the third elongate and robust, the fourth and fifth 

 forming a seta, which is bent nearly at a right angle with 

 the third ; ligula short, bilobed ; ocelli three ; wings very 

 large and wide, lying horizontally on the back ; body rather 

 pilose, short, stout, pointed. Inhabits woods, preying on 

 minute insects ; black, brown, or fulvous. Hemerodromia, 

 Tachydromia, Platypalpus, Drapetis, Lonchoptera. 



Silvery flies or Dolichopites. Larva attenuate at the 

 extremities, elongate ; inhabits moist earth and mud. Pupa 

 changes in the same situations. Imago 

 with the antennae five-jointed ; the basal, 

 second, and third joints robust, the fourth 

 and fifth forming a seta ; ligula very stout, 

 short, and bilobed ; ocelli three ; wings 

 very large, lying horizontally over the 

 body ; alulae obsolete ; legs very long, 

 and often having the tarsi adorned with a plume of hairs ; 

 body short and small ; green, with a silvery pilosity. 



