70 Objects for the Microscope. 



is seen transfixing the body of some poor smaller fly which 

 the Empis is greedily sucking. The Empidae are generally 

 small black flies, and there are many species of them. 

 They are more fully described with the slide of Empis 

 stercorea ; also the peculiar veining of their wings. 



PEOBOSCIS OF DIOCTEIA, 



one of the Asilidse, flies which inhabit meadows, trees and 

 bushes, feeding on lesser flies, and more common than the 

 true Asilus. They are usually black and shining, and carry 

 their antennae very fiercely erect. The head should be 

 mounted in profile to show the tubercle upon which the 

 antennae are seated, five-jointed and porrect, close to each 

 other at the base and diverging outward. The proboscis 

 stands out almost horizontally. 



HEAD OF CONOPS. 



This is a pretty black and yellow Fly, frequenting flowers, 

 having a bright triangular spot on the top of the head. 

 The thorax with two yellow scapulae, and the abdomen is 

 banded black and yellow. The remarkable part of the head 

 is a singular proboscis curved suddenly upwards ; a labrum 

 notched at the tip, arched above and hollow beneath ; 

 labium bilobed and slightly hairy, with three shallow 

 transverse furrows at the tip. The antennae should be well 

 displayed, for their structure alone would determine the 

 species, and therefore furnish a useful lesson on the absolute 

 necessity of minute observation, if we wish truly to learn 

 and enjoy the insect world. 



The antennae of Conops are about as long as the head, 

 fiercely seated on a tubercle, and have seven joints ; the first, 

 short and slightly hairy, forming an angle with the second, 

 which is much longer and rather club-shaped : the third 

 is seated on the second like a cone, and the fourth is very 

 small ; so is the fifth, and the others are like little spines ; 

 nevertheless they are seven in all. The eyes are prominent 

 and oblong ; but the eye of the Fly is particularly described 

 in the head of Rhingia. 



