105 

 Genus LXXI. BOMBYLIUS. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Jnienna united at the base, with three arti- 

 culations, the last pointed. Mouth with a 

 long extended, setaceous, bivalve trunk, with 

 horizontal valves, containing the stings or 

 bristles. Palpi two, very short. 



General Observations, 

 The long and close hairs with which the body 

 of the Bombylius is covered, make it appear 

 larger than it really is. Several species of the 

 genus are very common in the spring, and are 

 to be found in gardens, in woods, and in low 

 marshy grounds. They are lively and very 

 quick in their motions, and may be known at 

 a distance, by the habit they have of hanging, 

 as if suspended, over a flower till they are ap- 

 proached, and then instantly darting off to a 

 distance. With their long, straight trunk, 

 which is a strong characteristic mark, they rob 

 the plants of their honeyed juice, passing suc- 

 cessively, and with the greatest rapidity, from 



