124 



MELANDER AND BRUES. 



[VOL. I. 



middle legs similarly ornamented if we except plumipes. For 

 this reason and because it shows a tendency toward the length- 

 ened face of Hygroceleuthus, we have included plumipes in the 

 present paper. But as this species shows strong Dolichopus 

 characters in the short, stout antennae and slight costal thick- 

 ening, it cannot be placed satisfactorily in either genus as they 



have been defined. On 

 the other hand, the 

 European Hygroccleu- 

 thus diadcma merges 

 with DolicJiopus on ac- 

 count of its shortened 

 antennae. 



The original defini- 

 tion of Hygroceleuthus 

 included a deep incision 

 in the hind margin of 

 the wing and broadened 

 wings. From these 

 characters Aldrichii%x\A. 



deviate 



F,o. ,. -Showing length of face: ., Dolichopus contains, 



male; 2, Hygroceleuthus plumipes, male; 3, Hygroce- decidedly 



leuthus W'heelerii, male ; 4, Hygroceleuthus amnicola, 



female; 5, Hygroceleuthus afflictus, male; 6, Hygroce- l^CltlpCS, tne Ollly 



American 



groceleuthus which Loew saw, possessed no characters at vari- 

 ance with the typical species. It was because of limited material 

 that Loew felt justified in constructing this genus. Like other 

 genera founded on secondary sexual characters alone, such as 

 Rhagoneura and SpatJiochira of this same group, Hygroceleuthus 

 has been found invalid as the number of species increased. 



From the foregoing it seems advisable that HygroceleutJius 

 be no longer retained with generic value, but may be kept as 

 an expression for a group of the genus DolicJiopus. 



Of the previously described species of HygroceleutJius, one 

 has failed to be recognized, lamellicornis Thorn., if indeed 

 this be a species of HygroceleutJius. The type was a female 

 from California, but the description omitted the important 

 points. 



