OF NEW ENGLAND. 127 



each side and near the base of the head is a convex raised 

 vertical ridge, with its edge armed with obtuse short 

 spines which probably protect a simple eye situated at the 

 bottom of the depression. The middle of the body is 

 nearly twice as wide as the pro-thoracic ring. All the 

 rings are separated by well defined sutures ; they are 

 convex, and angularly so on the sides ; the spines are 

 very equal in length, the two dorsal rows approximate 

 and are rather remote from the two lateral rows ; the 

 tip of the abdomen, which, judging from the three pairs 

 of spines, is originally composed of three rings, is semi- 

 ovate, triangular in form, suddenly flattened above ; at 

 the base is a pair of obsolete spines ; the remaining spines 

 are longer than those on the front of the body, radiating 

 outwards, but like them are armed at the base with three 

 or four pairs of obtusely bifurcate spinules which stand 

 out stiffly at right angles to the spine itself; the lon- 

 gitudinal anal opening is protected on the sides with 

 minute obtuse spines ; on the under side of each ring 

 of the body, with the exception of the terminal one, are 

 two transverse angulated ridges ; the front one smooth, 

 while the posterior ridge is provided with a single row 

 of minute teethlike spines. The larvse are of a dirty pale 

 flesh color. The head is concolorous with the rest of the 

 body and of but little harder consistence. Length, .36 ; 

 breadth, .10 ; height, .07 inch. 



While bearing a general resemblance to the larva of 

 Volucella as figured by Westwood, the} 7 differ in being 

 much narrower, very hairy, or rather spinulated, and the 

 terminal portion of the body is not provided with stout 

 spines as in Volucella, but is continuously hairy with the 

 rest of the body. 



I quote in this connection notices by Westwood of 

 other dipterous genera which are parasitic on wild bees, 

 with the hopes of stimulating observers in this country to 

 search for these interesting parasites in the nests of 

 American wild bees. 



"Some species of Anthrax were supposed by Latreille 

 to be parasitic on bees, while Reaumur (Mim. torn. vi. pi. 

 27. fig. 13) figures Anthrax, morio, of which he observes. 

 " Plusieurs mouches de cette esp&ce ont ete tirees d'un 



