760 DIPTERA OF AUSTRALIA. 



Genus 1. Dicranomyia, Stephens. 



Dicranomyia, Stepli., Cat. Brit. Ins. 1829; Osten-Sacken, Mon. 

 Dipt. N. Amer. lY. p. 53, 1869, pi. i, figs. 1, 2, 3 (wings), and 

 pi. III. figs. 2, 3, 5 (genitalia) ; Studies II., p. 172, 1887. 



" One submarginal cell ; four posterior cells ; discal cell present 

 or absent ; marginal cross-vein at the tip of the first longitudinal 

 vein ; tip of the auxiliary vein generally opposite or before the 

 origin of the second longitudinal vein, seldom beyond it. An- 

 tennae 14-jointed, joints sub-globular, elliptical, or short sub- 

 cylindrical. Proboscis not longer than the head. Feet slender, 

 tibiae without spurs at the tip ; empodia indistinct or none. 

 The forceps of the male consists of two movable, soft, fleshy, 

 subreniform lobes and a horny style under them." (Osten-Sacken). 



This genus seems to be almost as numerously represented in 

 Australia as it does in N. America and Europe. A few species 

 have been described from New Zealand, one from Java, and one 

 or two from South Africa. Dicranomyia also occurs in a fossil 

 state in amber. 



In all the specimens of Australian Dicranomyice, examined by 

 me, the discal cell is closed. The auxiliary vein usually terminates 

 close to the origin of second longitudinal vein, but in D, obscicri- 

 pennis and annulijyes considerably beyond it ; the position of the 

 sub-costal cross-vein varies. In D. incisuralis the sub-costal 

 cross- vein connects the auxiliary vein with thecosta. The first lon- 

 gitudinal vein is sometimes arcuated near its tip, thus causing an 

 expansion of the sub-costal cell ; this occurs in D. j^unctijyejinis, 

 and in a less degree in one or two other species. The first lon- 

 gitudinal vein is continued somewhat beyond the marginal cross- 

 vein and joined to the costa by a supernumerary cross-vein in D. 

 saxatilis. In D. Helmsi, marina, remota, ohscurij^ennis, auri- 

 pennis, zonata, and incisuralis the first longitudinal vein ai-cuates 

 into the second and appears joined to the costa by a cross-vein. The 

 praefurca is more or less arcuated, sometimes angularly bent near 

 its origin with a small stump of a vein; and it varies in length from 

 once to four times the length of the distance between origin of third 



