DIPTERA. 9 



HYPOCERA. 



Fam. 29. PHORHLE. 



EPROBOSCIDEA. 



prone, the neck lying on the prosternum . . Fam. 30. HIPPOBOSCID^. 

 Head ,' 



turned back, and upside down, over the mesonotum . 31. NYCTERIBID.T 



FAMILY!. STEATIOMID^. 



STRATIOMYD.E, LI. g. c. (1809); Fin.; Mg.; Ztt. Stratiomydes, Mq. 

 Corpus magnum, medium, aut minus. Ocelli 3. Proboscis re- 

 tracta. Labium crassum. Palpi saspissime clavati. Antenna por- 

 rectas, -\Q-articulat(S, basi approximate, apice conica3 aut seta 

 elongata aut stylo brevissimo terminate ; articuli tertius et sequentes 

 suba3quales. Scutellum muticum aut spinosum. Ala3 incumbentes, 

 plerumque tenmter et obsolete venosae. Vena cubitalis furcata. 

 Areola analis longa. Vena costalis prope alae apicem terminata. 

 Alulae parvae. Abdomen depressum, 5-annulatum, saepissime latius- 

 culum. Pedes breviusculi, simplices, mutici, pubescentes. 

 Mas. Oculi saepissime contigui. 

 Fcem. Oculi remoti. 



Body rather flat, of large, middle, or small size. Ocelli 3. Pro- 

 boscis withdrawn. Palpi most often clavate. Labium thick. An- 

 tennas porrect, approximate at the base, 5lQ-jointed, with conical 

 tips, or terminating in a short style or in a long bristle ; third and 

 following joints compact, almost equal, forming a flagellum. Scutellum 

 unarmed or beset with spines. Wings incumbent, parallel; veins 

 crowded together near the fore border; cubital vein forked ; costal vein 

 ending near the tip of the wing ; longitudinal veins generally slender, 

 indistinct, not reaching the border ; discal areolet small. Alulae small. 

 Halteres uncovered. Abdomen depressed, generally rather broad, 

 with 5 segments. Legs simple, pubescent, unarmed, of moderate 

 length. Tarsi with 3 onycliia. 

 Male. Eyes generally contiguous. 

 Female. Eyes remote. 



The species of this family inhabit flowers, leaves of trees, 

 meadows, or aquatic plants ; from the spring to the autumn their 

 movements are slow. The larvae are aquatic, or live in decom- 

 posing matter or in decayed wood. 

 VOL. i. c 



