394 attempted division of british insects. 



Natural Order. — Stratiomites. 



Larva very elongate, attenuated at the anterior end, composed of 

 twelve very distinct segments, besides the head ; inhabits the 

 water. Pupa changes on the surface of the water, and continues 

 floating : no material alteration in the form takes place. Imago, 

 with the antennae eight-jointed ; the basal and second joint are 

 uniformly robust and hairy, the remaining six are variously formed 

 in the genera, and sometimes indistinct ; the labium is large, 

 fleshy, and bilobed ; the other organs of the mouth minute and 

 nearly obsolete ; ocelli three ; wings narrow, reposing one on the 

 other, and seldom wholly covering the body, which appears on 

 each side ; alulas obsolete ; body very flat, short, and wide. Flies 

 in the sunshine, settling on leaves and flowers. Stratiomys, 

 Odontomyia, Oxycera, Nemotelus, Sargus. 



Natural Order. — Chrysotoxites. 



Larva and pupa unknown ; the former supposed to feed on the 

 roots of corn, &c. Imago, with the antennae six-jointed ; basal 

 and second joint long and slender, third very long and more robust, 

 the remaining three forming a slender and perfectly uniform seta, 

 which arises from near the base of the third ; labium large, much 

 dilated, bilobed ; wings divaricating ; alulae small or obsolete ; 

 body very stout, convex above. Inhabit woods, &c. ; fly 

 briskly in the sunshine, settling, the males on umbellate flowers, 

 the females on leaves. Microdon, Chrysotoxum. Psarus ? 

 Paragus ? 



Natural Order. — Syrphites.* 



Larva always elongate, but of a variety of forms ; feeds on Ophites, 

 larvae of bees and wasps, small water insects, &c. &c. Pupa 

 changes in the habitat of the larva, excepting when aquatic ; it 

 then leaves the water, and attaches itself to some tree, wall, 

 paling, or other vertical substance. Imago, with the antennae 

 six-jointed ; the basal and second joint short and small, the third 

 very large and nearly globose, the remaining three forming a 

 perfectly uniform seta, often plumed ; labium always terminated 

 by two large, long and very distinct lobes ; the other organs of 

 the mouth distinct and fully developed ; ocelli three ; wings wider 

 than in the Stratiomites, slightly divaricated ; body convex above. 

 Fly in the sunshine, feeding on flowers. Ascia, Sphegina, Baccha, 



' The order Syrphites appears to require further division into Syrphites, 

 Eristnlites, VoluceUites, and Rhingites. 



