474 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



Family PLATYPEZID^E (Plat-y-pez'i-dae). 

 The Flat-footed Flies. 



These flies resemble the House-fly somewhat in appear- 

 ance but are very much smaller. They hover in the air in 

 shady places, and alight frequently on the leaves of low 

 plants, where they run about in circles with great rapidity. 



The head is hemispherical or spherical, and as broad as or 

 broader than the thorax. The antennae are three-jointed, 



with a terminal bristle. The legs are 

 short and stout, and the tarsi of the hinder 

 pair are often very broad and flat (Fig. 

 579). The wings are rather large, and 

 when at rest lie parallel upon the abdo- 

 men ; the axillary excision is prominent, 

 but the posterior lobe of the wing is 

 small (Fig. 580) ; the alulets are minute. 



Vein III of the wings is three- 

 branched ; veins V, and V 2 either coalesce 

 FIG. 579. Leg of puty- throughout or separate near the margin 



peza. a, forked hairs of . /- n xr i- i i 



leg greatly enlarged. OI the Wing. Cell V., IS Sometimes divided 



1st 



VII i 



^^ 



VIIi+IX 



Fir,. 580 Wing of Platypeza. 



by a cross-vein, and sometimes not. Cells 2d III, V, and 

 VIII are short. 



This family includes but few species, and these are 

 usually rare. The larvae live in rotten mushrooms. 



