262 UOMBYL1ID JE. 



larvse preying upon the larvae, and perhaps pupae also, of small 

 bees (Andrena, Halictus, etc.).* The Jarva and pupa of Bombylius 

 major, L., has been obtained from the nests of Andrena. The 

 pupa of Bombylius has cephalic spines which act as digging 

 organs. 



Table of Species. 



1. Wings with narrow black band at base 



and a brown suffusion across middle ; 

 abdomen with bright red pubescence, 

 and white pubescence at tip ; length 



10-13 mm orientalis, Macq., p. 263. 



Wings without suffusion across middle ; 

 abdomen never as above 2. 



2. Wings wholly dark brown except hind 



border, where the colour fades away ; 



abdomen in S with silvery-white, in 



2 with fiery-red pubescence ; length 



4-5 mm wulpii, Brim., p. 264. 



Wings clear, with dark brown band on 



fore border, irregular in width, reaching 



nearly to tip on costa and posteriorly 



nearly to middle of wing ; length 



8-12 mm major, L., p. 265. 



Wings clear, or at most brownish or 



brownish yellow at base, the colour 



never extending more than half across 



wing (in propinquus only) 3. 



3. A conspicuous row of erect black spines on 



hind border of abdominal segments ; 



length 8-12 mm erectus, Brum, p. 267. 



Abdomen without such spines ; length at 

 most 6 mm 4. 



4. Legs black ; head with silvery-white 



hair-spots f 5. 



Legs pale yellow 6. 



5. Third antennal joint twice as long as 1st 



and 2nd together ; extreme base of 

 wing dark brown ; subcostal cell pale 



yellowish maculatas, F., p. 267. 



Third antennal joint subequal to 1st and 

 2nd together ; wing practically clear, 

 only extreme base and the subcostal 

 cell very pale yollowish comastes, Brum, p. 268. 



6. First antennal joint pale yellow ; 3rd joint 



nearly double 1st and 2nd together; 

 anterior cross-vein at one-third of 

 discal cell ; 1st basal cell very little 

 longer than 2nd ; only 1st basal cell and 



subcostal cell very slightly brownish. . vicinus, Brum, p. 270. 

 Antennae all black 7. 



* See Verrall (' British Flies,' v, p. 502) for interesting notes on the habits 

 of B. canescens, a European species. 



t B. albosparsus, Big., comes here, but I cannot define it more narrowly. 



