16] 



Family Scenopinidae — The Window Flies 



^is^' 



Pseudatrichia lonsurio, dorsal and lateral view, and Scenopinus fenestrali;^ 

 (right), dorsal view. 



Flies of moderate or small size, usually blackish in color. 



Front Jiot excavated; face bare, short and broad: ocelli present; 

 males usually holoptic; proboscis concealed; palpi cylindrical, bristly 

 at the apex. Antenna^ approximated at the base, the basal two seg- 

 ments short, the third elongate, simple, without style or arista. Thorax 

 rather long, moderately convex above, the liead situated low on the 

 thorax; scutellum broad and short, convex apically and unarmed. 

 Abdomen flattened or cylindrical, composed of seven segments. Legs 

 sliort; empodia absent. Wing venation simple, the third vein branched; 

 apical cell open or closed; basal cells long, the first much longer than 

 the second. 



The adults, witli the exception of Scenopinus fcnestralis Linnaeus, 

 are not common in collections. The larva^ liave lieen recorded as living 

 in decaying fungi and wood and under carpets. S. fenestralis is some- 

 times common on windows and is said to live upon carpet beetle larvtp, 

 being predaceous. The common name of tlie family is derived from 

 the W'indow-frequenting liabit. 



Some authors have used tlie name Omphvdlc ^Meigen instead of 

 Scenopinus Tjatreille, 1iut T do not recognize IMeigen's "1800" names. 

 The family has been treated liy Krober in (Jenera Insectorum* and 

 keys to the species are given. 



» Fascicle 161, 1914. 



