56 



THE INSECT WOELD. 



The genus Anthrax, belonging to this family, has a different form 

 to Bombylms. The body is much less hairy ; the trunk is short 



and concealed in the mouth ; the wings, 

 which ar6 very large, are clothed, at least 

 in the principal genus, in a garb of 

 mourning sufficiently remarkable, in which 

 the combinations of black and white are 

 admirably diversified. 



"Here," says M. Macquart, "the line 

 which separates the two colours is 

 straight, there it represents gradations, in 

 other cases it is deeply sinuous. Some- 

 times the dark part shows transparent 

 points, or the glassy part dark spots. 

 This sombre garb, added to the velvet 

 black of the body, gives the Anthrax a 

 most elegant appearance ; and while 

 resting on the corolla of the honey- 

 suckle and hawthorn to suck the juice, 

 form a most striking contrast, and set 

 forth its beauty no less than that of 

 those lovely flowers." 



Anthrax sinuata is common in Europe. 



The family of the Syrphici includes three remarkable types, 



which we could not pass over in silence. 

 They are Vermileo, Volucella, and Helo- 

 philus. 



Vermileo de Geeri (Fig.**37), which 

 inhabits the central and southern parts 

 of France, is four or five lines in 

 length. Its face is white ; its forehead 

 grey, bordered with black ; the thorax 

 of a yellowish grey, with four brown. 

 Fig. 37.-vermiieode Geeri. stripes in the male; the abdomen 

 light yellow, spotted with black ; and the wings glassy. 



The larva of the Vermileo has a thin cylindrical body, capable 

 of bending itself in every direction ; a conical head, armed with 

 two horny points; and the last segment elongated, flat, ele- 



Fig. 36. Bombylius major. 



