OBSERVATIONS ON PIPUNCULID^. 26S 



Corpus parvum, lineare aut subliueare : caput magnum, tliorace 

 latius, fere hemisphsericum : oculi maximi, caput fere totum 

 occupantes : ocelli 3 mediocres, approximati, supra verticem 

 trigone dispositi : antennae 4-articulatse, parvae, capite breviores ; 

 articulus 1"^. minimus ; 2"^ mediocris, cyathiformis ; 3^^ longior, 

 latus, compressus ; 4^^. setiformis, 3*. basi proximus : hypostoma 

 angustum : os parvum, occultum ; labium breve ; maxipalpi 

 longi, apice erassiores ; mandibulse brevissimse : thorax convexus, 

 longior qiiam latus : prothorax minimus, supra vix conspicuus : 

 mesothoracis scutum maximum, nonnunquam indistincte bili- 

 neatum ; scutellum mediocre, semicirculum fingens : maris ab- 

 domen segmentis 6, thorace multo longius, plerumque sublineare, 

 apice obtusum ; segmenta 5 aut 6 subtus conspicua : fern, ab- 

 domen segmentis 7 ; apicale parvum, subtus abdomen recurvum, 

 oviductu corneo acuminato terminatum : pedes breves, sub- 

 sequales, spinis nigris brevissimis instructis armati ; coxae 

 mediocres ; femora subincrassata ; tibiae quasi contortae, paullo 

 arcuatoe, subclavatae ; tarsi lati ; articulus 1"^. longus ; 2"^ brevis ; 

 3"^. et 4"^. brevissimi ; 5^^ 2". paullo longior ; ungues longi, 

 graciles : alse incumbentes parallelas, plerumque angustae et 

 corpore longiores, piiis vix conspicuis dense vestitse ; nervus 

 costalis pilosus, paull6 ultra alse apicem productus : nervus 

 secundarius et nervus auxiliaris basi conjuncti, hie ultra, ille 

 paullo ante costae medium nervum costalem attingentes : nervus 

 2"^. et S^^. nervo auxiliari orti, basi conjuncti, hie multo ante, ille 

 prope alse apicem nervum costalem attingentes : nervus 4^^. aut 

 perfectus, aut valde abbreviatus ; nervus 5"^. alae marginem 

 posticum attingens ; nervi 2 breves, incompleti, unus alae basi, 

 alter nervo 5". emissus et nonnunquam obsoletus : nervulus 

 transversus medius brevissimus : cellulae costales et basales 

 longae, angustae ; marginales magnae, irregulares, aj^icem versus 

 plerumque latiores : halteres et squamae parva. 



In form they are very peculiar, and have but httle resem- 

 blance to the Other families of Dijiiera. They are nearest 

 alhed to the Syrphites, particularly to Paragus and Sphegina, 

 but the structure of the mouth is more simple, and somewhat 

 resembling that of Scenopinus, the PlatypezidcB, and the 

 Muscites. Like the Syrphites, they fly well, and are often 

 seen hovering in the air, but they walk slowly, and have feet 

 more adapted for climbing than for running. They slightly 

 resemble the Platypezidcc externally, but have no affinity to 

 the Muscites. The species may be found from spring to 



