604 



DIPTERA. 



Fig. 264. 



cequalifs 3 (Fig. 263), so named by Fabricius, because the 

 Fig. 2ea wings are divided lengthwise, in their 



color, into two equal parts, the outer part 

 being brownish black, and the inner half 

 colorless and transparent. The body of 

 this insect is short, rounded, and covered 

 with yellowish hairs, like a humble-bee. 

 It measures three eighths of an inch in length, and the wings 

 expand rather more than seven eighths of an inch. 



There are some flies that prey on other insects, catching 

 them on the wing or on plants, and sucking out their juices. 

 Some of them have thick and hairy bodies and legs, and 



bear a striking resemblance to 

 our biggest humble-bees. Such 

 are the Laphria thoracica (Fig. 

 264) of Fabricius, which is 

 black, with yellow hairs on the 

 top of the thorax, and meas- 

 ures eight or nine tenths of an 

 inch in length ; another species, 

 which may be called Laphria flavibarbisf differing from 

 the former in having the face and sides of the head cov- 

 ered with a yellow beard, and in being an inch or more 

 long; and the Laphria tergissa of Say, which is somewhat 

 like the last, but has yellow hairs on the three middle seg- 

 ments of the hind body, and on the shanks of the anterior 

 and middle pairs of legs, and measures about an inch in 

 length. 



[ 3 What the true Sombylius cequalis, Fab. is, remains as yet uncertain, and can 

 be determined only by comparisons with his typical specimen. The insect I re- 

 member having seen in Dr. Harris's collection under this name belonged to the 

 group which includes the European B. major, which group contains severe! 

 species in this country. It might be either B. albipectus, Macq., or B. frattllus, 

 Wied. (syn. B. vicimis, Macq.). OSTEN SACKEX.] 



[ 4 Lctphria flaribarbis is probably nothing but a variety of L. ttrgissa. I pos- 

 sess specimens of the latter, having one, two, or three segments of the abdomen 

 covered tcith yellow Juiir. Similar varieties, as to the width of the a,bdomiual yel- 

 low band, occur also in L. thoracica, Fab. OSTEX SACKEN.] 



