THE MYCETOPHILID^. 125 



brown beneath. Legs yellow ; tarsi of the anterior legs 2-3 times 

 longer than the tibiae of the corresponding legs ; the tibiae are in the 

 same proportion to the corresponding metatarsi. The ovipositor : 

 the pars basalia supera with a deep angular hollow on the posterior 

 side, and with a slight arched depression on the sides ; the w hole ex 

 ternal surface of the lamella almost bare, and not clothed with any 

 little hairs. The pars basalia infera : the posterior border notched 

 in form of a parenthesis, and covered by a single row of small 

 hairs. The a^iterior lamella cylindrical, with the surface covered by 

 delicate hairs ; the superior edge has also a single row of long hairs. 

 ^h.^ posterior lamella small, pyriform. Length \\ to \\ lin. 



They appear in May, June, July and August, according to 

 Dziedzicki. 



P. nitidiventris, V. d. Wulp. 

 The larvre of this species live in rotten wood. 

 The $ organs blackish-brown. The posterior border of the 

 lamina basalts is divided into three blunt lobes by two moderately 

 deep cuneiform depressions ; the middle lobe is the largest and more 

 convex than the lateral ; the external surface is covered by delicate 

 hairs. The forceps inferior is almost rectangular in form, the ex- 

 ternal border larger than the internal ; the posterior border furnished 

 by a row of strong and also long hairs ; the whole external surface 

 covered by delicate hairs. The forceps superior, sickle-shaped 

 {faucillifornie), furnished on the posterior borders and on the 

 internal with small hairs ; in the middle of this last piece is a 

 triangular lamella furnished on its superior border with a row of 

 strong hairs ; on the external parts of the forceps are found mem- 

 branous lamellae with rows of rods {baguettes). 



Ovipositor brown. The. pars basalis supera : the posterior border 

 is notched with three semicircular depressions, the middle one much 

 deeper than the lateral ones ; the external surface is bare, and there 

 is a fine and long hair at the posterior angle. The pars basalts 

 infera is a truncated triangle in form, with the posterior angles 

 rounded ; the external surface and posterior border are covered by 

 delicate hairs. The a?it, or superior lamella, is heart-shaped, 

 depressed in a deep arch on the posterior surface ; the external 

 surface covered by minute hairs. The post., or inferior lamella, is 

 in the form of a button, and is furnished with some short and strong 

 hairs. Length ij to ij lin. 



The imago is found in May, June, July and August. 

 The descriptions of these two British examples of the genus 

 Phronia are taken from Dziedzicki's monograph of the genus. He 



