HA RD WICKE'S SCIENCE- G OSS IP. 



55 



The proboscis is long and powerful, composed of 

 seven pieces. No ocelli. 



Stephens, some years ago, monographed the 

 British species, which are nearly twenty in number. 



Aedes cijicrciis, Mg. Tlic only known species. 

 Found in marshy spots. I.arva aquatic. 



Ciildx, L. The 2 lays about 300 eggs, the imago 

 requiring a month to acquire full development. 



A/ioJihiks, Mg. Rare ; the 9 does not suck 

 blood. 



Corethra, Mg. The larvre of C. plumicoriiis, F., 

 and C. adicifortnis, Deg., are well described by 

 Walker. 



Mochlojiyx, Liv., has been recorded as British. 



9. Dixida:. 



These flies are closely allied to the TipuUdic, with 

 which a recent authority (Van der Wulp) classes 

 them. They occur in woods, and on the banks of 

 streams, usually appearing in the evening. 



The larvre live in fungi and decaying wood. 

 Only two or three species are British, and Dixa with 

 Orphncphila testacea, Ruthe, forms the group Hetero- 

 clitac of Walker — both being placed by Schiner with 

 one or two other allied genera as a group of "uncertain 

 position." Curt, illustrates D. nebulosa, Mg. (409.) 



10. TipiiUdcB. 



Over 150 species of this family are British, most 

 of them being known generally as "daddy long- 

 legs." 



They are very delicate in structure, though many 

 attain considerable size— the legs of the largest 

 species when outstretched spanning a greater surface 

 than those of any other species of Diptera. They 

 should be pinned immediately after death, especially 

 if it is desired to set them. 



The legs and bodies are much attenuated. The 

 larvae of some species are aquatic, whilst others feed 

 on plants or rotten wood. The larva of Tipula 

 oleracea, L., does immense damage to grass lands. 



Most of the genera may be easily distinguished by 

 the venation. There are three sub-families. 



Anal vein absent : Ptychopterince. 

 Anal vein present. 



Mediastinal vein ending in the costal, connected witk sub- 

 costal by a cross vein ; last joint of palpi shorter or 

 barely longer than two preceding joints together : 

 Liiiinobinee. 

 Mediastinal vein ending in subcostal, no cross vein ; last 

 joint of palpi longer than three preceding joints together : 

 Tiptilince. 



1. PlycJiopterina. ^Flychopteryx, Mg., frequents 

 aquatic plants. They are pretty flies, with the wings 

 generally marked with brown ; the species are rather 

 more stoutly built than the Tipulina and Limnobince. 

 P. coiitamiiuita, L., and F. albimana, F., are not 

 uncommon. 



2. Limnobina:. Limiiobia Jlavipes, F., is brown, 

 with pale grey posterior borders to abdominal 

 segments. The wings are grey, with lighter patches, 

 brown veins and a row of brown spots on anterior 



border ; legs grey, with black rings on femora and 

 tibiae. Long 6 mm. 



Limnobia occurs chiefly in woods and fields, 



Dicranomyia chorea, Mg., is very common, occur- 

 ring in London all through the summer. It is yellowish 

 brown, legs pale brown, wings clear, with a brownish 

 spot on the stigma. Long 6-7 mm. 



T?-ickocera regelationis, L., is common everywhere, 

 occurring in London houses all through the warm 

 weather. It is a slender, blackish -grey fly, with pale 

 grey wings, and long, thin, blackish-grey legs. Long 

 about 4 to 6 mm. 



3. Tipulmcc. Tipula oleracea, L., is very common, 

 the species of this genus being very widely distri- 

 buted. T. oleracea. Tawny grey, tinged with grey — 

 sometimes wholly grey, with long tawny legs and 

 grey wings, and is common everywhere ; known 

 familiarly as the "daddy long-legs." Long, about 

 14-15 mm. Variable in size. 



Ctenophora, Mg., is a limited genus of large, 

 handsomely coloured flies, all more or less rare, and 

 more stoutly built than the rest of the Tipulida:. 



They seem to me to be partly allied to Ptychoptera, 

 Mg. The antennre are deeply pectinated in a 

 different manner in each species. 



Ptychoptera coiifainiiiafa, L., Wlk. iii. PI. xxviii. 7. 

 Dicranoviyia stigmatica, Mg., Wlk. iii. PI xxvii. 2. 

 Tipula longicornis, Schum. Curt. 493. Ctenophora 

 ornata, Mg., Curt. 5. 



II. Rhyphidic. 



The RhyphidcE pair in the air. They live on over- 

 ripe fruit, the larva inhabiting cowdung, or, according 

 to Latreille, in the case of R. feiiestralis. Scop., moist 

 linen. This species is not uncommon in London (on 

 windows), and is recognised by its wings being 

 prettily marked with brown. 



They are allied to the Tipulidcc, with which they 

 have by some authors been incorporated, and as a 

 rule are only found singly or in pairs. 



R. fenestralis. Scop., greyish-brown, with ashy grey 

 thorax marked with 3 longitudinal dark lines ; face 

 grey ; eyes and antennae black ; legs tawny brown ; 

 knees and tarsi more or less black ; wings grey ; 

 stigma and one or two clouded spots oh fore border, 

 brown — long 7 mm. 



MY PET MARMOSET. 



IN May, 1889, I bought a young marmoset {Hapale 

 penicillatus) in Bahia (Brazil), which since that 

 time has been my constant companion, and, conse- 

 quently, under my observation the entire time. 



In spite of its comparatively low intelligence, it 

 has become a most interesting pet ; and to watch its 

 ways and habits is a constant source of pleasure and 

 instruction. In Brazil these animals are much valued 

 as pets by the African women settled there ; and 



