OCCURRING ABOUT IIOLYNVOOD. 179 



Phora abdominalis. Fall. 



(To division C.) The termination of the 2d subcostal nervure 

 forked : larger than P. thoracica ; a female taken but once. 



P. debilis. Fuscus, thorace cano-lineato, alls et pedibus 

 inermibus testaceis. 



(To division E.) Wings deep brown, with darker nervures and 

 hyaline streaks between. 



P. Dauci. Meig. 



This is the female of Conicera atra. 

 P. simiUs. Nigra, tibiis et tarsis anticis testaceis, alis sub- 



hyalinis. Mas. Antennis conicis ascendentibus. 



(To division F.) Half the size of P. Dauci, (Conicera atra), the 

 antennas shorter : wings more obscurely hyaline, with conspicuous 

 nervures, those of the rib thick and bristly. 



P. galeata. Nigro-fusca, thorace compresso, pedibus iner- 

 mibus. 



(To division G.) Head compressed, with the dilated front over- 

 hanging the eyes : seta of antennas ascending, feathered, thickened 

 at the root : palpi prominent divaricate, pale : thorax entirely 

 compressed : wings hyaline, rib pubescent : abdomen depressed 

 very broad behind. 

 This insect is very unlike the rest of the genus, and is still 



more active than any of them. It occurs on umbelhferae in 



autumn, but is not common. 



P. aterrima. 



In all my specimens the fore shanks and feet only are testaceous, 

 but the difference is too slight to indicate another species, as the 

 like is not uncommon in other species of the genus. 



Bibio lanigerus. 



The first time I met with this species was in the beginning 

 of April, some years back : walking one sunny morning on a 

 low sandy spit, that runs into the bay at Holywood, and is 

 used for grazing cattle, I was struck by an appearance of in- 

 numerable sparkles of light over the short herbage, as far as I 

 could see, resembling the reflections of the sun on a gentle 

 ripple. On looking for the cause, I found the sward covered 

 with this species, principally males, who were in busy move- 

 ment, exploring and quartering their ground with the skill of a 

 trained setter. The evident object of their search was the 



