56 DIPTERA OF AUSTRALIA, » 



But though I catinot see how this suggested distribution into 

 sections can stand, I am scarcely qualitied to suggest a better 

 division. There undoubtedly remain many interesting forms yet 

 to be brought to light, which may materially alter our views. 



It would be an unpardonable oversight if I did not here thankfully 

 acknowledge the immense assistance gained frona Baron Osten- 

 Sacken's " Studies on Tipulidse," also his kindness in sending me 

 a copy of WesthofFs splendid paper " Ueber den Bau des Hypo- 

 pygiums der Gattung Tij)ula" and several others of his own 

 publication, otherwise not obtainable in the colonies ; also Dr. 

 Bergroth has rendered me considerable assistance by sending me 

 copies of his valuable writings on Tipulidae. 



Section I. DOIJCHOPEZINA. 



This section, if it will eventually be admitted as such, at 

 present may be said to include five described genera. They are, 

 in the words of Osten-Sacken, "distinguished by the extreme 

 length and slenderness of their legs (especially of the tarsi), and 

 the light and delicate structure of their bodies : characters which, 

 in the European D. sylvicola,'^' are connected with the habit of 

 flying in zig-zag, Ephemera-Yike, in shady localities. . . . The 

 antennae of the male in this group are often much longer than 

 those of the female ; sometimes of extraordinaiy length. But 

 that this character is, generically, an unimportant one, is proved 

 by the genus Megistocera, where exceedingly long antennae will 

 occur in some species, and exceedingly short ones in others, 

 without any noteworthy difference in the rest of the organisation.'' 

 The author then goes on to say that he is unable to characterize 

 this section as a whole ; but " besides the great length and 

 slenderness of the legs, the anterior branch of the second vein 

 may be used for that purpose : it is either altogether absent 

 (Dolichopeza) or obsolete, or else perpendicular, and not as usual 

 oblique, thus rendering the rhomboid cell near the stigma more 

 or less square." 



* And apparently in all the other species ; at any rate it applies to the 

 Australian ones. 



