356 CHARLES T. BRUES. 



rior coxae, and the general habitus and actions when alive are 

 very similar in both families. On the other hand the wing vena- 

 tion is different, but taken in connection with the facts already 

 presented showing similar degeneration in so many families, this 

 is not so great an objection as it would be otherwise. 



Aside from Mik, dipterists do not appear to have detected 

 many affinities with muscid forms. I am nevertheless inclined 

 to agree with him that the Phoridae show a relationship with the 

 Borboridae. This may quite probably also have been Schiner's 

 idea when he placed the Phoridae between the Bibionidae and 

 Borboridae, rather than to show relationship to the former family 

 as Williston suggests ('06). The various points of resemblance 

 are : first, their similar appearance and actions when alive, they 

 are the only family whose motions when running or flying could 

 be confused with those of the Phoridae ; the modification of the 

 incrassated hind metatarsi, the same segment being modified by 

 rows of scaly bristles in every member of the Phoridae, even the 

 wingless forms and Termitoxenia ; the tendency shown in the 

 Borboridae to lose certain of the apical and posterior parts of the 

 veins in the wing and the tendency also to develop wingless 

 forms like the Phoridae. However, the legs and head of the 

 Borboridae are not bristly to any extent. Other differences are 

 mainly the ones that appear equally in comparison with any 

 family. 



It is therefore in my opinion probable that the Lonchopteridae 

 and Phoridae may together find a more suitable place in the 

 Cyclorrapha rather than at the end of the Orthorrapha where 

 placed by Coquillett. This is what Williston has done with 

 them in the second edition of his manual ('96) where they are 

 placed between the Platypezidae and the Muscidea. At least 

 there seem fewer objections to this course than to any other. 



Regarding the nomenclature of the wing veins of the Phoridae 

 there has been considerable difference of opinion as mentioned 

 on a previous page, and I would like to correct what I think is 

 an error in the identification of the fourth and fifth veins. The 

 first oblique light vein has been considered by various writers 

 (Schiner, '62, Comstock, '94, Becker, '01, Brues, '04) as the 

 fourth longitudinal vein, but I now believe that the second light 



