Descriptions of British Diptera. 209 



mer when seen in certain directions^ and those on the hinder part of 

 the abdomen are entirely white : halteres brown ; wings transpa- 

 rent, brown at the base, and having a small pale yellow spot towards 

 the apex ; the base slightly tinged with yellow only in the female. 

 Halteres brown : legs shining yellowish-grey, the inner side of the 

 anterior thighs, and all the tarsi black. 4| lines ; proboscis 3 lines. 

 We have to adduce the same authority for regarding this as an 

 indigenous species that was referred to in the preceding instance. 

 Like B.picius it is a scarce insect even on the continent, and seems 

 to prefer a more southern climate to ours. 



BOMBYLIUS MINOR, (s.) 

 Linn. Donovan's Brit. Ins. xv. pi. 536; Meig en, ii. 201 — Bomb, venosus, 



Mikan ; Meigen's Klassif. 

 Considerably less than any of the preceding ; the body black, cover- 

 ed throughout with soft yellowish hairs : whiskers (mystax) ferru- 

 ginous, black at the sides : forehead of the females clothed with red- 

 dish yellow hairs ; antennae and proboscis black. Halteres dark- 

 brown : wings somewhat greyish, the base and outer border tinged 

 with light yellowish brown : legs pale ferruginous, the tarsi obscure. 

 4 lines; proboscis nearly 2^. 



This is one of the most common species of the genus, and ap- 

 pears to be the only one that extends far to the north. It occurs in 

 some plenty, in the month of June, in many places near Edinburgh, 

 such as the base of Arthur Seat, fields about Duddingston, and has 

 been taken in Perthshire and other more northern counties. 



In England it appears to be rather local, but abounds in certain 

 situations. Captain Rlomer was accustomed to take it plentifully 

 in Bradley and Cleve Woods, near Teignmouth and Bideford, 

 Devon ; and also in Wales. It has likewise been observed at High 

 Bickington by Mr Cocks — at Shanklin Chine by Mr Rudd, &c. 

 According to Captain Blomer's Journal, it seems to be in June and 

 beginning of July that it appears in greatest force. " Avondale, 

 county Wicklow, Ireland, taken once." A. H. Holiday, Esq. 



BOMBYLIUS CTENOPTERUS (s.) 

 Mikan, Meigen, ii. 204 ; Macquart's Dipteres, 382. 

 Brown, the male clothed with fulvous hairs, the female with 

 whitish yellow hairs : hypostome, Avhiskers and forehead grey : hal- 

 teres white : wings nearly transparent, tinged with yellow at the 

 base, and a considerable way along the exterior border, the margi- 

 nal nervure strongly ciliated at the base : the basilar cells of equal 

 length, whereas in all the species previously described they are un- 



