THE MyCETOPHILID.E. 145' 



broad ; third longitudinal vein forked, arising from the second at 



before one-third of the length ; fourth emerges from the third at 



before half the length, near which it is forked ; fifth also forked, hind 



prong very much diverging from the fore one ; sixth extending to the 



hind border. Areoltts thirteen. 



These flies can at once be known by their elegant appearance and' 



very long antennae. They are fond of nettles in shady woods, and> 



are often found resting on palings with the long antennae extended. 



They are the most elegant of all this family. The characters of the 



section are the same as the genus, there being only one genus in this- 



section. 



The seven species found in Britain are tabulated by Walker, and 



as this seems the best method I can find I append it below : 



a. Antennae two or three times length of body. 



/3. Wings unspotted. 



7. Thorax striped - - - - = viftata, Mg. 



77. Thorax not striped - - - = lutea, Mg. 



|S/3. Wings spotted. 



7. Tips of wings not clouded. 



h. Thorax not striped - - - = stigma, Curt: 



hh. Thorax striped - - - - = centralis, Mg. 



yy. Tips of wings clouded. 



h. Wings striped between the tip of the I / . i\r 



° ' . . ( aj/g///ata, IMl^. 



second and fork of the third vein = ) ' 



bb. Wings striped before the tip of second I , / • / \[ct 



vein -----=] 



aa. Antennae not longer than body - - = fasciaia, Mg. 



M. vittata, Mg. = M. dorsalis, Curt. 



This is a tawny species. Yellowish on the ventral surface. Palpi 

 yellow. Antennae blackish, yellow at base; as long as body. Thorax, 

 with three dark reddish stripes ; the median one long, the lateral ones 

 short. The abdomen is tawny, with a dark brown dorsal stripe. 

 Legs yellow ; tarsi brown. Wings grayish, with yellowish tinge at the 

 costal edge. This is a common species, found resting on park 

 palings. Length 3 to 4 lin. 



M. fascia ta, Mg. 



This is a yellowish species. Thorax with three brown stripes ; 

 lateral pair short. Abdomen yellow, with an interrupted dark brown 

 dorsal stripe, and a brown band on the anterior border ot each seg- 

 ment ; hypopygium brown ; ovipositor and lamellre yellow. Head 



10 



