INSECTA. 
622 
Asilus, Linn., — 
Has the proboscis porrected in front. They make a buzzing noise whilst flying, and seize Flies, 
Tipulse, Humble-bees, and even Beetles, which they suck. Their larvse live in the earth, having a 
scaly head armed with two moveable hooks, and being there transformed into pupse, which have 
hooked teeth on the thorax, and small rows of spines on the abdominal segments. 
A first subdivision, Asilici, Latr., has the head transverse ; the eyes lateral and wide apart, even in 
the males ; the proboscis at least as long as the head, and one complete cell, of an elongated trian- 
gular form, near the inner margin of the wing, and terminating at the hind margin. The epistome 
is always bearded. 
Some of these (with two pulvilli, and two ungues at the tips of the tarsi) have the antennae scarcely longer than 
the head; the style scarcely distinct, or very short. 
Laphria, Meig., has the style not at all, or scarcely visible, and the proboscis straight. [Numerous handsome 
exotic species.] 
Ancilorhynchus, Latr., has the style scarcely exserted, and pointed, and the proboscis like a compressed, curved 
and hooked beak. 
Dasypogon, has the style distinct and conical, and the proboscis straight. 
In the two: next subgenera the antennae are evidently longer than the head. 
Ceraiuvgus, Wied., has the antennae not arising on a peduncle. 
Dioctria, Meig., has them inserted on a common peduncle. 
In others, the style at the tip of the antennae is prolonged like a seta. 
Asilus proper, has the style simple. The species are very numerous. A. crabroniformis [the largest British 
species], is not uncommon at the end of summer in sandy places. The transformations of A. forcipatus have 
been observed. 
Cyrtoma, Meig., differs from all the rest in having 2-jointed antennae, the palpi resting on the proboscis, the 
conic-elongate form of the last joint of the antennae, and the smallness of the palpi. 
OmmatiuSy Illig., differs from all the foregoing in having the style of the antennae plumose. 
Gonypus, Latr. {Leptogaster, Meig.), has three ungues at the tips of the tarsi, the middle one replacii^ the two 
pulvilli. 
The second subdivision, Hybotini, Latr., has the head rounder, nearly occupied by the eyes in the 
males, with the clypeus rarely bearded ; the proboscis is very short ; the wings have fewer nerves than 
the preceding insects, and their inner portion does not exhibit the complete triangular cell, or it is 
only rudimental. 
(Edalea, Meig., has the last joint of the antennae large, elongate-fusiform, and terminated by a very 
small style. 
Hybos, Meig. (Damalis, Fab.), (with thick hind-thighs), and 
Ocydromia, Hoffm. (with the hind-thighs of ordinary size), have the last joint of the antennae short, ovoid, or 
conic, with a long seta. 
Microphora, Meig., has the third joint of the antennae, as well as the style, long. 
Lemtopeza, nearly allied to Ocydromia, but with the style terminal, and not dorsal. 
Empis, Linn. {Empides, Latr.), — 
Are closely allied to Asilus in the form of the body and position of the wings, but with the proboscis 
perpendicular, or directed backwards. The head is rounded, nearly globular, with the eyes greatly 
extended. The species are of small size ; live by rapine and on the honey of flowers. The last joint 
of the antennae is always terminated by a short biarticulate style, or by a seta. The males of some 
species have the basal joint of the fore-tarsi very dilated. 
Some have 3-jointed antennae, of which the last is sometimes in the form of an elongate cone. 
Empis proper, has the proboscis much longer than the head, the bi-articulate style at the tip of the antennae 
being always short ; the palpi always recurved. Empis pennipes, Fab., remarkable for the hind legs of the females 
being very hairy. 
Ramphomyia, Meig., differs from Empis in wanting the small transverse nerve at the tips of the wings. 
In the following, the proboscis is scarcely longer than the head. 
Hilaray Meig., has the antennae terminated by a small 2-jointed style. In 
Brachystoma, Meig., they are terminated by a long seta. 
Gloma, Meig., differs from the preceding in having the last joint of the antennae terminated by a seta, and 
forming, with the px'eceding joint, a spherical body. 
The rest have only two distinct joints in the antennae, the last joint being ovoid or subglobose, and 
terminated by a seta, forming the second joint of the style. The proboscis is generally short, with 
the palpi resting upon it. 
