50 



This inidge has been observed in Florida, and at Ithaca and Tarrytown, New York 

 State, and it is quite possible it may occur in Canada. 



The history of another family belonging to this section of Diptera is a curious one. 

 The family is called Sciara, and belongs to the genus of the Tipulidae. Several species 

 are known to occur in Canada. The larvae are noticeable for their peculiar habit of 

 congregating together and exhibiting the strange phenomenon of an assembly of larvae 

 without feet marching in procession. 



Prof. Packard says " They are more gregarious than the other genera, and have the 

 singular propensity of sticking together in dense patches, generally under the bark of 

 trees. When full grown they sometimes march in procession in a dense mass, sometimes 

 several feet long and two to three inches broad and half an inch in thickness, whence 

 the Germans called them 'Army Worms.'" 



Section 2.— Brachycera. 



We now come to the second great division or classification of Diptera, known as the 

 short-horned flies. 



The Tabanidce, or Horse Flies, a well- 

 known group — the insects of which are re- 

 markable for their strength, daring and 

 courage. Fig. 35 represents a common 

 species, Tabanus atratus, Fab. Its large 

 size and powerful bite render it formid- 

 able. Like the mosquito it is only the 

 females which bite, the males being innoc- 

 uous, and living on the juices of flowers. 

 In its larval state, according to the late 

 Mr. Walsh, the talented entomologist, it 

 is useful to man, as it feeds on snails and 

 the larva? of root-eating insects. 



The Asilidce, or Ptobber Flies, are stout, 

 strong insects, with long bodies. They are 

 very rapacious, seizing and flying off with 

 the insects they capture. 



Fig. 36 shows one of these robbers, named Trupanea apivora, Fitch, or the Bee-killer. 



They are very destructive to the hives, capturing the bees 

 on the wing, one having been observed by Professor C. V. 

 Biley of Washington, to kill 141 bees in one day, 



The Bombilidce are pretty, hairy flies, with an oval 

 body and a long proboscis. They are exceedingly swift 

 fliers. 



The Syrphidoe, known as the hoverers, hawk flies and 

 drove flies, are described by Packard as "those gaily 

 coloured flies so useful to agriculturists, from their habit of 

 feeding on plant lice, closely resemble the wasps in form 

 and colouration, having hemispherical heads, large broad 

 eyes, and rather flattened bodies, ornamented with yellow 

 Fig. 36. Trupanea Apivora. bands and spots." They hover in the hot sun over and 

 above the flowers, resting upon them to feed on their sweets. The larvse either live in 

 the water, where the body ends in a long extensile breathing tube ; or are terrestrial 

 living in decaying wood, or parasitically in nests of bees, or, as in Syrhus, live among 

 plant lice. 



The species of Eristalis produce the well known 

 aquatic larvae known as u rat-tailed." A kindred species 

 is shown at Fig. 37, Heliophilus Latifrons, Loew. 



Fig. 38 shows the larvae of a Syrhus fly feeding on 

 aphis. 



Fig. 39 represents another Syrhus fly, Pipiza Radi- 

 cans, Walsh and Riley, whose larva lives under ground, 



Tabanus Atratus. 



Fig. 37. Syrhus. 



Fig, 38. 



