EMPIDIDEICUS. — BOMBYLIUS. 261 



ceil ; 6th vein reaching wing-border ; 1st basal cell a little longer 

 than 2nd ; bifurcation of prsefurca opposite tip of 2nd basal cell. 



Length, 1 mm. 



Described from four paratype specimens in the Indian Museum 

 in very indifferent condition, taken by Dr. Aunaudale at Simla, 

 7000 ft., 16. v. 1909, on flowers of white stonecrop, and 7. v. 1910, 

 also at Simla. 



The species conforms to all the generic characters except in the 

 presence of the 2nd vein, which, according to Becker, is anas- 

 tomosed with the 3rd. In his species, also, the basal cells are 

 equal in length, and he does not mention the auxiliary vein, 

 which, however, is easily overlooked in indicus. Temporarily, 

 at least, the species may be located in this genus. Verrall 

 figures the wing of this genus (Brit. Mies, v, p. 484, fig. 272). 



Genus BOMBYLIUS, L. 



Bombylius, Linnseus, Syst. Nat. Ed. x, p. 606 (1758) ; Brunetti, 



Rec. Ind. Mus. ii, p. 456 (1909). 

 Parisus, Walker, Ins. Saund., Dipt. pt. 1, p, 197 (1852). 

 Ckoristus, Walker, Ins. Saund., Dipt. pt. 1, p. 196 (1852). 



Genotype, Bombylius major, L. ; by designation of Latreille, 



Hmd small, semicircular, set rather low and closely applied to 

 thorax; face short, densely pubescent: irons in $ with long 

 pubescence or scales ; three ocelli ; eyes elliptical, bare, con- 

 tiguous in <S , wide apart in 2 ■> without an indentation at middle 

 of hind margin. Proboscis very long, thin, pointed ; labella small. 

 Antenna? porrect, approximated at base ; 1st joint much longer 

 than 2nd, with long stiff hairs ; 2nd short, cup-shaped ; 3rd 

 elongate, variable in shape, conical, peg-shaped, long strap-shaped, 

 or rarely leaf-like, occasionally with dorsal scales ; style jointed, 

 terminal. Thorax oval, short, considerably arched, with dense 

 furry pubescence ; sometimes distinct presutural bristles present. 

 Scutellum broad, semicircular, clothed as the thorax, occasionally 

 with scales only. Abdomen rounded, short, well arched, 7 seg- 

 mented, the terminal ones withdrawn, all with dense furry 

 pubescence, often with longer and more bristly hairs intermixed. 

 Legs long and thin, bearing spicules ; hind legs elongate, hind 

 femora often with stiff bristly spicules below ; all tibiaa with rows 

 of minute spicules and small terminal spurs ; pulvilli distinct, 

 empodiutn minute. Wings at rest, outspread, rather narrow ; 

 subcostal cell very narrow ; 3rd vein forked ; anterior cross-vein 

 at or before middle of discal cell, erect : two submarginal and 

 three posterior cells, all open ; 1st basal cell always longer than 

 2nd, but sometimes only a little longer; anal cell narrow, open. 

 The wings often prettily marked either with spots or the diagonal 

 baso-costal band so common in this family. 



Range. World-wide ; a very large genus. 



Life-history of a few European species partially known, the 



