190 BOMBYLIID^. 



sometimes convex only ; proboscis variable in length, often with- 

 drawn ; palpi small, thin. Antennae porrect, short, wide apart 

 at base ; 1st joint short, cylindrical ; 2nd short, wider at tip than 

 base ; 3rd forming an irregular elongate cone, with a longer or 

 shorter style,* separated from the 3rd joint by a distinct suture, 

 with a microscopic bristle at the tip. Thorax quadrate or short 

 oblong, with rounded corners, often with fan-like bunches of 

 distinct scales or scale-like bristly hairs in front, below the 

 humeri, around the wing-roots, on the pleura?, and occasionally 

 on other parts ; scutellum broad, rather large, generally with 

 bristles on posterior margin ; metanotum concealed ; thorax and 

 scutellum generally with rather thick pubescence. Abdomen 

 slightly curved, longer than thorax, but often not greatly so, 

 oblong, in a few species almost obconical, usually with depressed 

 short pubescence and with transverse bands of scales or scale-like 

 hairs on dorsum and frequently on underside also, the pubescence 

 generally longer and thicker on each side at the base. Legs 

 rather long and always slender ; all tibiae without spinules ; tarsi 

 rather indistinctly jointed; fore legs shorter, posterior legs 

 stronger and longer, in some species with scaly pubescence; 

 ungues small, generally with a small tooth at their base : pulvilli 

 absent or vestigial. Wings with three submarginal cells ; often 

 a short space along the base of the costa with brilliant white or 

 coloured scales ; venation otherwise as in Hyperalonia. 



Range. World-wide. 



It is probable that some of the characters admitted as generic 

 are more or less plastic, such as the distinctness of the tooth at 

 the base of the ungues, which Osten-Sacken claims to be always 

 present, even if very small. He also asserted that the front tarsi 

 are more tapering towards the tip in the S than in the $ , and 

 that " the length of the antennal style is variable, usually in 

 inverse ratio to the length of the 3rd joint." His characters 

 were drawn up on North and Central American species, a few 

 European and two Australian forms. I have not ventured to 

 include all these points as definite generic characters. 



Table of Species. 



1. First posterior cell closed „ 2. 



First posterior cell open t 3. 



2. Wing's wholly bright yellow to beyond 



middle, a narrow brown band in apical [ p. 192. 



part jlavipennis, Brim., 



Wings yellow at base, with two broad 

 brown bands, one before, one beyond, the [p. 193. 



middle Jlammea, Brum, 



* Exceptions occur. E. stupida, Rossi, a European species, has no distinct 

 antennal style, the 3rd joint being a long tapering cone ending in a microscopic 

 bristle. Probably there are also other exceptions. 



t Often closed adventitiously in E. insulata. 



