THE 
WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST. 
“ ENTOMA aUEDQUID AGCO NT NOSTIII EST FARRAGO LIBELLI.” 
No. 24.] SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 1863. [Price 2 d. 
DIPTERA. 
3 two our leaders have been 
devoted to the order Coleop- 
tera, in the hope that more Coleop- 
terists may spring into existence, we 
think that the order whose name 
heads our article, may reasonably 
claim one. We hope in the same 
manner at some future time to draw 
attention to several other neglected 
orders. The general maxim “look 
everywhere,” applies to the order 
Diptera with peculiar force. Even 
in the house the Dipterist may find 
something to do. ' For besides the 
common house fly and the two blue- 
bottles, Stomoxys calcitrans may be 
observed on the window in company 
with Musca domestica, to which at 
first si ght it bears a strong resem- 
blance, though the different structure 
of mouth easily separates it. It has 
an unpleasant habit of sucking our 
blood, which makes it more objec. 
tionable when at large than in our 
cabinets. Many species both of the 
Culicidce and the Tipulidce may be 
found upon our window-panes but 
fields and lanes are the best places 
for the latter family. There the 
daddy-long-legs come out in full force. 
The large genus Mycetophila, may be 
observed flying over fern and grass 
on a mild afternoon quite late in the 
summer. In winter the chief game 
is Trichoeera hyemalis which may be 
found everywhere. In the same 
season many of the smaller Muscidce 
may be found by turning over the 
damp leaves on the ground. Borlo- 
rus equinus we have found in this 
way, and its congener nitidus on 
rotton turnips, in company with 
the Cliolevas. The insects we have 
hitherto been speaking of are so un - 
interesting and “ dowdy ” in appear- 
ance that they possess but few attrac- 
tions for the uninitiated. It is possi- 
ble however, to find bright colours 
even among the Diptera-, for these we 
should look among the Syrphidee. It 
is almost a mockery to tell even the 
most in experienced where to look 
for Syrphidee. All through the long 
Summer days and far into the Au- 
tumn many species may be found 
hovering over flowers, particularly 
over Senecio jacobcea. There we see 
the banded Scarce, Hclophti, and 
Sericomyiee hovering in a Sphinx-like 
manner over the yellow bloom, in 
company with the more slender and 
less brilliant Syritta pipens, while 
