454 Descriptions of British Diptera. 



cylindrical, equal, and pubescent, third elongate and tapering, di- 

 vided into many rings, 

 the four near the apex 

 being generally most 

 distinct, (Fig. 1.); pal- 

 pi pubescent, the first 

 joint short, second 

 long, and somewhat 

 conical in both sexes, (Fig. 3, c) ; proboscis horizontal in the male, 

 vertical in the female, rather slender, the terminal lobes elongated ; 

 labrum long and pointed (Fig. 3, a.) ; eyes golden green, with spots 

 and bands of purple ; ocelli three ; tibiae terminating in two minute 

 spines ; wings half open when at rest, the anal cell scarcely closed 

 at the inner margin. 



Besides several attributes peculiar to itself, the genus Chrysops 

 (so named on account of the brilliancy of the eyes,) combines some 

 of the separate characters of the preceding and following genera, 

 and thus forms a connecting link between them. Its affinity, how- 

 ever, to Haematopota is much greater than to Tabanus, as it posses- 

 ses, in common with the former, cylindrical antennae, palpi nearly 

 alike in both sexes, and spines at the extremity of the tibiae, besides 

 presenting some other minor points of agreement. Its most strik- 

 ing peculiarities are, the annulated appearance of the whole of the 

 terminal joint of the antennae, the presence of ocelli, and the obscure 

 coloration of the wings, relieved by a few transparent pale-coloured 

 patches. About a dozen species are known to inhabit Europe, but 

 of these a very small proportion occur in Britain. In habits they 

 are similar to the Tabani, and the larvae, like those of the group 

 just named, are said to live in the earth ; but this fact comprises all 

 that is known in relation to their early condition. 



Chrysops c;ecutiens. (s.) 

 Meig. Latr. Macquart, Steph — Tabanus csecutiens, Linn. De Geer, vi. 224. 

 pi. 13, fig. 3. Donovan, iv. pi. 131. 

 Male : black and pubescent ; hypostome yellow, but the ground 

 colour almost concealed by two large shining black spots ; eyes with 

 two dark-purple bands, the uppermost interrupted ; forehead black : 

 thorax with reddish-yellow pubescence on the sides ; abdomen black, 

 the second segment with a fulvous spot on each side ; under side 

 dark brown, the two first segments yellow, with a brown central 

 streak : legs black ; wings brownish-black, with a small hyaline spot 

 near the middle, at the side of the discoidal cell, a light-coloured 



