Descriptions of British Diptera. 207 



them with the celerity of thought, it drives them from its haunts. 

 When a captive, it becomes tame and subdued, and loses all its 

 characteristic bustling and activity, the inspiration of freedom."* 



Of the larvae of Bombylius no account has yet been given. Fallen 

 presumes that they live in the earth and feed on the roots of plants ; 

 a conjecture which appears probable, when we consider that those of 

 the most nearly related groups afford instances of such an economy. 



Bombylius major, (s.) 

 Linn. Donovan's Brit. Ins. ii. pi. 66 — Meigen, ii. 190; Curtis, B. E. pi. 613; 



^ Bom. variegatus, De Geer. vi. 268, pi. 15. fig. 10 — Bom. sinuatus, 



Mikan, Mono. Bomb. Bohemiee, pi. 2, fig. 4 — Bombylius, Harris' Expos. 



pi. 47. f. 2. 



Ground colour of the body black, but the surface entirely covered 

 with soft ochreous-yellow hairs ; head with whitish-yellow hairs ; 

 antennae dark-brown ; hairs of the beard whitish ; on the under- 

 side the hairs are yellowish- white, those covering the breast and the 

 apex of the abdomen black. Wings with the anterior portion brown, 

 that colour extending from the base, where it is widest, nearly to 

 the apex, the internal edge forming a sinuated line ; the remaining 

 portion of the wing transparent ; halteres dark brown ; legs pale 

 ferruginous, the tarsi brown. Length of the body 5^-Q lines ; probos- 

 cis 3 lines. (Wood-cut, Jig. 3. J 



Thir, insect, which is the largest of our British species, first ap- 

 pears in April and the beginning of May, and occurs occasionally in 

 the more southern parts of England. It probably does not inhabit 

 Scotland. " In plenty at Glanville's Wootton, New Forest, near 

 Bristol, &c. in the months of April, May, June, and at times may 

 be seen (as was the case in 1826 and 1827,) as early as March." 

 J. C. Dale, Esq. " Open places in woods. Coomb, Norfolk, &c." 

 Ciirtis' Brit. Ent. " Vicinity of London," Stephens' Catal. " I have 

 seen this species twice at Raehills, Dumfries-shire." Rev. W, Little. 



Bombylius medius. 



Linn.Donov. Brit. Ins. v. pi. 146, f. 1 ; Meigen,\i. 196 Bomb, major, Samon- 



elle's Useful Comp. pi. 9. fig. 10 — Wood's lUust. ii. 106, pi. 71 — Bomb, dis- 

 color, Mikan,-p\. 2. fig. 1 Bomb, punctatus, De Geer. vi. pi. 15, fig. 12 



Bombylius, Harris' Expos, pi. 47, fig. 1. 



Clothed with soft ochreous hairs, beneath which the surface is 

 black. Head with brownish-yellow hairs, becoming nearly black 

 towards the base of the antennae ; thorax with two lines of black 

 hairs on each side, terminating anteriorly at the insertion of the 

 wing ; the female distinguished by a dorsal line of white down ; 



* Journal of a Naturalist. 



