ANTHRAX. 77 



Fb. ; Shr. Anthrax p., Fb. ; Pz. ; Mg. kl. Anthrax et Exopro- 

 sopa, Mq. 



Caput magnum, obtuse ovatum, subdepressum, hirsutum. Color 

 niger, hirsutie nigra vel flava. Alee long a. Proboscis brevis. An- 

 tenna basi remotcB. 



Mas. Oculi approximati. Anus obtusus. 

 Fcem. Oculi magis remoti. Anus acutior. 



Body large or of middle size, of moderate breadth, black, sometimes 

 partly red, clothed with various-coloured hairs and down. Head 

 globose, somewhat contracted behind ; epistoma bearded. Eyes reni- 

 form, green. Ocelli 3, on the crown. Proboscis either quite withdrawn 

 into the peristoma, or porrect inclined upward and as long as the head. 

 Labrum small, acute, channelled beneath, as long as the labium. 

 Lingua setiform, stiff, acute, somewhat shorter than the labrum. 

 Maxilla? setiform, stiff, acute, somewhat shorter than the lingua. 

 Palpi short, cylindrical, hairy. Labium cylindrical, channelled above. 

 Antenna 4- or ^-jointed, short, porrect, remote at the base ; first joint 

 cylindrical; second cyathiform; third variously formed; fourth very 

 small; fifth very small when present. Wings long, lanceolate, very 

 finely pubescent, expanded when at rest, generally adorned with spots, 

 stripes, or bands; longitudinal veins much curved. Alula? small. 

 Halteres uncovered, but often hidden by the hairs of the abdomen. 

 Abdomen elliptical or cylindrical, rather long, with 7 segments, slightly 

 convex or almost flat. Legs long, slender; hind legs the longest. 

 Onychia small, wanting in some species. 



Male. Eyes almost contiguous. Abdomen obtuse at the tip. 

 Jem. Eyes a little more remote. Abdomen less obtuse. 

 These flies are among the most beautiful of the Diptera-, 

 they are mostly inhabitants of warm climates, appear only in 

 summer, fly very swiftly in the hot sunshine, and feed on 

 the nectar of flowers. They inhabit open parts of woods, 

 pastures, fields, paths, dry spots, and often bask in the sunshine 

 with expanded wings. Some of their larvae live in the earth ; 

 others are parasitic in Lepidopterous larvae. The species may 

 be thus grouped : 

 a. Third joint of the antenna? tapering gradually from the base to the 



tip. Species 1, 2. 



a a. Third joint of the antenna? very slender, thick at the base. 

 Species 3, 4. 



1. lacchus, Fb. s. a. 123. 21 (1805); Mg.; Mq. ; GmtL Pan- 

 dora, Fb. ; Mg. ; Ct. Megara, Hms. ; Mg. italica, Esi. ; Mg. 

 picta, Wdm. ; Mg. Nigra, ferrugineo-hirta, alls nigricantibus maculatis 

 ferrugineo-variis apice margineque postico limpidis, abdominis lateribus 

 argenteo-maculatis. Long. 4^-5^; alar. 11-13 lin. 



Black. Body clothed with ferruginous hairs. Wings blackish, with 



