228 NORTH AMERICAN ANTHOMYIID FLIES OF GENUS PHAONIA 



Every effort has been made to place types or paratypes in the 

 National collection at Washington, and the types of all new 

 species belonging to the United States Bureau of Biological 

 Survey will be deposited in that collection. A representative 

 series has also been placed in the collection of the American 

 Entomological Society. 



Definition of the Group 



Sixth wing-vein not reaching the margin of wing; hind tibia 

 with one bristle, rarely two bristles, on posterodorsal surface; 

 cheek without a slightly raised anteriorly rounded area on lower 

 half or more, the surface of which is covered with more or less 

 upwardly curved hairs, lower calyptra always distinctly pro- 

 truded beyond upper; under surface of scutellum never with soft 

 hairs; propleura bare; sternopleural ])ristles not in an equilateral 

 triangle; thorax with at least two strong presutural dorsocentral 

 bristles. 



There are one or two species of the genus Helina R.-D. which 

 may be confused with this group, Ijut the partial key offered 

 herewith should enable students to place any questionable 

 forms in their proper positions. 



Habits of the Species 



The larvae of the species are mostly unknown. Those that 

 are known to me are dealt with in the text. One has been found 

 to parasitize the larvae or pupae of a tipulid fly, while one lives 

 in much decayed tree stumps and another under the bark of 

 recently felled trees. 



The adults of many species occur on tree trunks or on leaves 

 and are very active. They feed on sap exuding from wounds 

 in trees and on nectar of flowers. 



Many of the species occur in the far north and in mountainous 

 regions, while very few arc met with in the Plains states. Those 

 I have found in Illinois are associated with wooded areas and 

 are neither plentiful in numbers nor species. 



Some species arc common to Europe and North America, but 

 in all cases where the recognition of European species as American 

 has been recorded, I have had authonlically identifi<Hl European 

 specimens for comparison with those from this country. This 

 has been considered as essential because of the great similarity 

 in color and general siructure in this genus, and the fact that 



