DIPTERA OF AUSTRALIA. 

 By Frederick A. A. Skuse. 



Part VIL— THE TIPULID^ BREVIPALPT. 



(Plates xxi-xxiv.) 



The Tipulidse or Crane-flies constitute a very extensive family, 

 ■usually characterized by the great length and fragility of their 

 legs, the absence of ocelli, a peculiar structure of the ovipositor, 

 elongated basal cells to the wings, and the presence of a discal cell • 

 but always to be distinguished from every other family in the 

 division by the Y-shaped transverse suture on the thorax. 



This family is classified under two main divisions, the TiPULiDiE 

 BREVIPALPI and LONGIPALPI, and two very small intermediate 

 groups. In the first division the terminal joint of the palpi is 

 little if anything longer than the two preceding joints, whilst in 

 the second it is much longer and flagelliform. This peculiarity 

 of the last joint of the palpi is in each division supported by 

 numerous important subsidiary characters, a detailed account of 

 which may be found in the works of Barcn Osten-Sacken. 



No Australian representatives of the two small intermediate 

 groups, Cylindrotomina and Ptychopterina, have yet been 

 found ; the Tipulid^e longipalpi are however well represented, 

 and will form the subject of a future paper. 



The present instalment can be only a preliminary contribution 

 to the knowledge of the Australian species of TiPULiDiE brevi- 

 PALPi ; indeed, as can be readily seen, the bulk of the species 

 hereafter treated of are known simply as being denizens of Sydney, 

 the Blue Mountains, and the few other adjacent localities which 

 have received anything approaching special collecting. Beyond 



