﻿LKPTIDAE TABANIDAE 



481 



mately falls. These curious accumulations are occasionally 

 found in England as well as on the Continent, but no reason 

 for so peculiar a habit is at present forthcoming. Still more 

 remarkable are the habits of some European Leptids of the 

 genera Vermileo (Psammorycter of some authors) and Lump- 

 romyia, slender rather small flies of Asilid-like appearance, the 

 larvae of which form pit-falls after the manner of the Ant-lion. 

 According to Beling x the larva of Leptis is very active, and is 

 distinguished by having the stigmatic orilice surrounded by four 

 quite equal, quadrangularly placed prominences ; and at the other 



Fig. 228.— Larva of 

 Vermileo degeeri 

 (Psammorycter ver- 

 mileo). A, lateral, 

 B, dorsal view : 

 j). an abdominal 

 pseudopod ; st, 

 stigma. Europe. 

 (After Reaumur 

 and Brauer.) 



extremity of the body a blackish, naked, triangular plate ; on the 

 under side of each of seven of the abdominal segments there is a 

 band of spines. The larva oiAtherix has seven pairs of abdominal 

 feet. Altogether there are some two or three hundred known 

 species of Leptidae ; our British species scarcely reach a score. 

 They are destitute of biting-powers and are harmless timid 

 creatures. Leptis scolopacea, the most conspicuous of our native 

 species, a soft-bodied iiy of rather large size, the wings much 

 marked with dark colour, and the thick, pointed body yellowish, 

 marked with a row of large black spots down the middle, is a 

 common Insect in meadows. 



Fam. 15. Tabanidae {Breeze -files, CI eggs, or Horse-flies, 

 also frequently called Gad-flies). — Proboscis fleshy, distinct, en- 

 w nipping pointed horny processes, palpi distinct, terminal joint 

 inflated, pendent in front of proboscis. Antennae projecting, four- 

 jointed, second joint very short, third variable in form, fourth 

 forming an indistinctly segmented continuation of the third, hut 

 not ending in a bristle. A perfect squama in front if the halter. 

 Eyes large, very large in the males, hut laterally extending, rather 

 than globose. This large and important family of iiies, of which 



1 Arch. Naturges. xli. i. 1875, p. 48. 

 VOL. VI 2 I 



