THE HAWK-FLIES. G23 



purpose of showing the enormous eyes of the insect, and the 

 space which they occupy in the head. The ocelli, or simple 

 eyes, are shown at Fig, c. 



On the same Woodcut, Fig. 2, is shown another species, 

 called Volucella jplumata^ so called because the bristle of the 

 antennae is so strongly feathered that it is quite conspicuous 

 even to the naked eye. It looks very much like a humble-bee, 

 and indeed, so closely resembles a worker humble-bee, that no 

 one who was not an entomologist would think that it could be 

 any other insect. The thorax is shining black, and lias a 

 quantity of golden-yellow hair on the sides. The thorax is also 

 black, with yellow hair on the base, and grey hair at the end. 



This species haunts the nests of humble-bees, and probably, 

 owing to the bee-like aspect of the insect, mixes freely with 

 the bees and passes in and out of the nest without challenge. 

 I have often taken them near the nests of humble-bees, and, in 

 consequence of the remarkable similitude of the insects, at 

 first allowed the Flies to escape, taking them for bees. Indeed, 

 in the first instance, it was only the difference of flight that 

 betrayed the parasite. 



At Fig. 4 of Woodcut LXXII. is drawn an insect belonging 

 to the typical genus. Its name is Syrphus lucorum. 



The word Syrphus is Greek, and is given under a remark- 

 able variety of forms, being indifferently spelt as Serphos, 

 Sterphos, or Seriphos. It is used to designate some small 

 winged insect, but that the word is not rightly applied to the 

 present group of insects is evident from the fact that an old 

 Greek proverb alludes to the Syrphus as possessing a sting. 



In these insects the third joint of the antennae is oval, tlie 

 abdomen is elliptic and depressed, the legs are slender, and the 

 tarsi simple in both sexes, whereas in some genera the front tarsi 

 of the males are flattened and widened. They are popularly 

 known as Hawk-flies. 



This species is rather a pretty insect. Its general colour is 

 black. The thorax is clothed with rich, warm-brown hairs, 

 and the base of the abdomen with golden down. It is slightly 

 variable in the colour and extent of its markings, and in some 

 specimens there is a brown patch on the base of the abdomen. 



