DIPTERA. BRACHYCERA. 367 



\vith the top cut off obliquely from front to back down- 

 wards, and covered by a hinged-on lid, which com- 

 pletely closes the opening. But the appendage which 

 most of all strikes us as evidently adapted to a certain 

 end, is a pair of long arm-like probosces which arise 

 from the upper end of the shell, and spreading out (as 

 a man sinking in mud would spread out his arms), pre- 

 vent the half-buried egg from sinking entirely in the 

 soft mass of dung. Hundreds of these little white 

 specks may be seen in a mass of cow-dung on a 

 summer's day, and are well worth examination. The 

 surface appears covered with a network. 



The perfect insect is predaceous, and frequents flowers 

 probably for the same reason as do other predaceous 

 Flies, partly perhaps for the sake of their honey, but 

 chiefly on account of their being the resort of other 

 insects. The foot of this Fly is a very beautiful and 

 very easily prepared microscopic object ; the pads are 

 long and somewhat pointed, and covered with unusually 

 long hairs or suckers. 



The larva? of others of the Muscid are Leaf-Miners, 

 like certain Lepidoptera the Honeysuckle, Holly, and 

 Columbine being conspicuously attacked by them ; 

 others again, as has been said, form galls in various parts 

 of plants, especially of the Syngenesis, as the Thistle 

 and others. 



The genus Tephritis, or Trypeta, is conspicuous 

 among these. Most of the species are very small, but 

 some are more than a quarter of an inch long. They 

 may generally be recognised by the brilliancy and beau- 

 tiful colouring of their eyes, and by their delicately- 

 painted wings, which are brown, grey, or black spotted, 

 and banded in various patterns. 



