116 STUDIES IN AMERICAN EPHYDRIDAE (dIPTERA) 



or appendages into the first posterior (fig. 1), and sometimes into the discal cell; 

 sometimes tliese extend to the third vein as a cross vein or are reduced to iso- 

 lated spots in the cells, but always enveloped in a cloud. Rarely are these 

 appendages entirely absent, but all possible intergradations exist. Length. — 

 2.0 to 4.5. mm. 



Type.- — ^Described from both sexes from the Middle States and 

 Georgia. Type in Coll. Museum of Comparative Zoology. I 

 have not seen it. 



A very variable species, which, in a genus possessing so few 

 well marked characters, is difficult to characterize. Its simi- 

 larity to 7neridionalis is evident and in some cases it is almost 

 impossible to separate them. The presence or absence of the 

 stump on the fourth vein is soon found to be of no specific value, 

 at least I have been unable to find it constant. In a few speci- 

 mens I find it well developed in one wing and totally absent 

 in the other. However, it is noticed that the specimens from 

 Texas and New Mexico generally lack these appendages, those 

 from the Central and Southeastern states may or may not have 

 them, while in those from the more northern states they are 

 seldom absent. The face although varying little in shape does 

 vary in color, from a bluish-white to nearly brown. The frons 

 ranges from grayish with faint irrorations and marks to very dark. 

 The thorax especially the mesonotum may be nearly unicolorous 

 with faint irrorations or dark brown, with or without the median 

 stripes. The brown of the abdominal segments may occupy 

 almost the entire segment or limited to narrow spots on each 

 side of the gray medial stripe. 



I have been tempted to separate some of the more marked 

 variations but could get no satisfactory results. There is one 

 which may prove to be worth recognizing. In this the sterno- 

 pleura and femora are decidedly gray and the wings somewhat 

 lactaceous. This series I have labeled appendiculata var.? but 

 have not recognized it otherwise. 



There are also two specimens before me from Florida, Jack- 

 sonville, (C. W. Johnson) and Bradentown, March, (M. C. ^'an 

 Duzee) which are in too poor a condition for critical study. They 

 are noticeably larger (4.7 mm.) but seem to belong here or are 

 allied. I have also a series from North Carolina and Georgia 

 which average smaller than usual, are darker, with the face 

 narrower and the legs black, scarcely brown pruinose. 



