THE MYCETOPHILID.-E. 141 



yellow ; tibiae pale brown ; tarsi brown. The wings have a yellowish 



tinge. Length 2 to 2| lin. This is a rare species, and the only 



one of the genus found in England ; the larvce live in decayed 

 wood. 



B. Mouth not elongated like a beak. 



Genus Platyura, Mg. 



Body long and narrow. Head roundish, small. Proboscis short. 

 Eyes round ; ocelli three, the costal one small. Palpi bent together ; 

 4-jointed ; first small, second and third large, fourth long and slender 

 Antennas stout, not dilated as in Ceroplatus ; 17-jointed, joints trans- 

 verse. Thorax short. Abdomen depressed, cylindrical in (^, seven 

 segments. Legs long and slender, tibise without spines, spurs 

 moderate. Wings are bare, and sometimes clouded ; first vein curved 

 forwards towards its tip ; third forked, connected w'wh. the second at 

 before one-third of length, when it forms a curve near its junction with 

 the transverse ; the upper prong of fork may end on the second vein 

 or on the costal ; fourth vein short, arises from the third, forked, fork 

 long, petiole very short ; fifth also forked, hind prong passing in a 

 curve to the posterior border ; sixth vein reaches the border ; seventh 

 small. Areolets thirteen. 



The habits of this genus seem to resemble Mycetophila, most 

 being found in woods and thickets, and the larvae living upon fungi 

 and rotten wood. At present very little is known about the larvae. 

 Meigen* mentions one, P. Jiiarginafa, being found in a fungus. The 

 species of this genus tabulate as follows rf 



a. Fork of third longitudinal vein joins 



second longitudinal vein - - = marginata, Mg. 

 aa. Fork of third joins costal. 



b. Fork rather long. 



I atrata, F. 



c. Fork curved - - - - - = ■: nigriceps, Wlk. 



( 



inycetophiloides, \Vlk. 

 cc. Fork straight ----- = ^litripenm's, Wlk. 

 bb. Fork short. 



i aiitica, Wlk. 

 c. Wings spotted . . . . = .' fascia fa, Ltr. 



\jiavipes, Mg. 



* Meig., vol. i., p. 232, et Verb. Sch. Ges., 1837, p. 106. 

 + Walker, Ins. Brit., iii., 65. 



