THE CHIRONOMIDyE. 177 



C. ato/naria, Zett. 



This species is recorded by Walker, but its identification seems 

 uncertain. It is black {^), yellow in the female, with brotvji 

 scutelhim with a yellow base. The wings of the $ white, not yellow, 

 as in ininida ; the wings of the ? are, however, yellow, contrary to 

 mifmfa. 



Genus. — Chirononms. 



The members of this large genus, which possibly contains more 

 than one hundred British species, are mostly small flies ; plutnostis, 

 one of the largest, seldom exceeding 6 lin. in length. The eyes are 

 reniform and separate in both male and female. The palpi, which 

 are 4-jointed, are usually curved and pubescent; the first joint is 

 small, the second and third of moderate length and nearly equal, 

 the fourth is longer and more slender. Antennae plumose and 

 seated in a notch in the eye. Wings elongated, generally bare, 

 narrow ; a deep notch on the posterior margin at the base of the 

 wing. Abdomen is composed of eight segments, slender, sometimes 

 flattened dorso-ventrally. Legs long and slender, no spurs or spines, 

 sometimes slightly hairy ; ungues or claws and onychia very small. 

 In the male the antennae are 13-jointed, densely plumose, the hairs 

 gradually decreasing towards the tip of the antenna ; the first joint 

 is short and cylindrical, the next eleven joints are also very short, 

 the thirteenth being filiform, and as long as all the others put 

 together. There are four apical appendages in the male, which are 

 often hairy. In the female the antennae are only 6-jointed, not more 

 than half the length of the thorax, hairs few and not nearly so long 

 as in the male. Abdomen shorter and thicker than in the male. 

 The pobrachial areolet is not closed in this genus, as in Tanypus. 

 PI. iv., figs. 2, 3, etc. 



\C. aiunilaris, Lat. 

 Chirononms plumosus. L. = < ^ ,. ,, 



-^ ' ) C. gra?idis, Mg. 



This is one of the largest European chironomi, sometimes measur- 

 ing as much as 6 lin. in length ; it is a very abundant species in most 

 parts of England, and appears from spring to autumn. 



The body of this species, which is testaceous in colour, is covered 

 with a silvery-gray tomentum. The thorax is marked with three 

 dark gray or brown stripes ; head testaceous, antennae and palpi 

 also dark brown to testaceous. Abdomen gray, sometimes brownish- 

 gray, the hind borders of the segments pale gray, hairy. Wings have 

 a distinct black dot upon their discal area ; the costal is dark brown, 



