o9 
trated in fig. 34, the larva in fig. 
385. The beautiful fly was fre- 
quently seen towards the middle 
of July; they were then employed 
in sipping honey with their very 
long proboscis from the various 
species of composite flowers. 
Ris ar Mal’, Se This proboscis can be used for 
Fig. 35.—Systewchus oreas.—a, larva; 

b, head from side; c, head from front; other jie Sand | than pel A tia 
d, preanal spiracle. (After Riley.) tar, as the writer found out to 
his sorrow, when he attempted to catch some of them with his 
hand, and succeeded. Violent pain, a swollen finger, and added 
knowledge was another result of the catch not bargained for. 
Early in August these flies were exceedingly numerous, hover- 
ing in the air and keeping their wings in such rapid motion 
that they could not be distinguished, but appeared like a haze 
surrounding the body of the insects; when disturbed the fly 
would dart away with wonderful speed, to remain again sta- 
tionary in the air in another spot. These bee-flies, although 
possessing a blackish-gray ground color, are so densely cov- 
ered with pale yellow hairs, that it is entirely hidden; this hair 
is so long that the outline of the insect is obscured, and they 
resemble on this account very small bumble-bees. 
The eggs and method of oviposition are not known. The 
larvee are found among the egg-masses of the locusts; they 
have a curved body, swollen in front and tapering behind; their 
color is opaque white with translucent yellowish markings. 
The small and flattened head (fig. 35, band c) is dark brown, with 
broad, almost triangular jaws. All the larve found during 
August and September, though varying greatly in size, pos- 
sessed similar forms, and all were almost unable to move. They 
were most frequently close to the egg pods, which in some 
cases were found empty. The young maggots must possess 
a very different form and decidedly different habits than the 
adult larvee, otherwise they would be altogether too slow and 
awkward to find the eggs of locusts. No pupz were found and 
all the larve kept in breeding-cages have neither moved nor 
changed into pupe. 
Blister-beetles.—Several species of blister-beetles or Span- 
ish-flies occurred in large numbers throughout the infested re- 
