




54 THE INSECT WORLD. 
the extremities black, and the exterior edge of the wings yellow. 
This species is frequently met with in woods. 
A third species, Chrysops cecutiens (Fig. 34), which belongs 
to the same family, and of which the generic name chrysops 
signifies golden-eyed, torments horses and cattle very much by 
stinging them round the eyes. Its thorax is of yellowish colour, 
striped or spotted with black ; the abdomen yellow, and the eyes 
golden. 
In the next group of the Brachycera the sucker is composed of 
four bristles, and the antenne gene- 
rally terminate in a point which 
appears to be rather a development 
than an appendage. 
This group includes a number of 
genera, but the following only pos- 
sess sufficient interest to claim our 
attention. From the Zanystome we 
select the families of the Aszlicz, Hm- 
pidie, and Bombyliarii. As types of 
the Brachystome we select the Lep- 
tides and Syrphici. 
The chief characteristic of the 
Asilici is strength. All their organs 
combine to produce this quality, 
which they display only too much, 
being as formidable to cattle as the 
Tabani, but even surpassing those 
insects in native cruelty. 
The Asilici unceasingly attack other 
insects, and even those of their own 
kind. Their trunk is strong; one of 
the fibres of the sucker is furnished 
with small points, turned back, which are intended to hold firmly 
to the body into which it has entered. They carry on their 
devastations in the glades of woods and on sunny roads. 
We will mention in this group, Asilus crabroniformis (Fig. 35), 
an insect ten to twelve lines long, having a yellow head, black 
antennx, and thorax of a brownish yellow. The three first seg- 




Fig. 35.—Asilus crabroniformis. 
