162 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



fleshy labial sheath which evidently can be retracted, similarly 

 to the sheath of mosquitoes; this sheath is very thick at the 

 sides and there is a central depression in which the other mouth- 

 parts lie. The piercing parts are strongly chitinized and the 

 maxilla? are clothed on their ventral surfaces with minute stiff 

 hairs which on the apical half become transformed into barbs, 

 densest and stoutest at the apex. In Symphoromyia crnenta 

 Coquillett the mouth-parts are much longer, the labial sheath 

 much more slender, apparently for the most part well chiti- 

 nized, and closely surrounds the other parts, which are only 

 exposed through a narrow dorsal slit. The maxillae are smooth 

 to near the apex, where there is a dense group of strong barbs. 

 Coquillett in his "synopsis" already indicated this difference, 

 but used the erroneous and misleading term "labella" to in- 

 dicate the mouth parts. It has been thought advisable to 

 keep Professor Cooley's notes on Symphoromyia pachyceras 

 intact, and they follow herewith over his own signature. 



-FREDERICK KNAB, 



We have repeatedly taken a species of Symphoromyia in 

 the act of taking blood. They have always attacked me on 

 the hand and they inflict a painful wound. The first time I 

 was bitten by one I slapped with the same caution that I 

 would a mosquito, lest it should escape, but I soon learned that 

 this is unnecessary, for one can pick them up with the fingers 

 as he would an inert object. In fact, you may poke them 

 around with the finger without causing them to fly. They 

 come and alight almost silently and generally come singly. 

 Our note on this species is as follows : 



NOTE 143. Troublesome blood-sucking fly. Causing swel- 

 ling. Very painful. Fly is silent when alighting. 



It is my impression that this is distinctly a mountain form; 

 that is, we do not find it in our large open valleys, but only 

 in mountainous places. R. A. COOLEY. 



