8 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY [Bull. 



nasal sinuses of sheep. Xestling songbirds are sometimes killed by 

 the larvae of Protocalliphora. 



There is a group of flies, the Pupipara, which are parasitic as 

 adults on birds, bats, and other animals. Some of these are wingless, 

 and some have functional wings. The sheep tick is a well-known 

 representative. Large birds are frequently infested with members 

 of this group. These flies cannot survive long away from the host, 

 and soon desert it if it dies. 



Connecticut is an interesting collecting ground for students of 

 insects. The northeastern and northwestern parts are in the Transi- 

 tion zone, and species indigenous to northern habitats should be found 

 there if they occur anywhere in the state. The southern part and 

 the Comiecticut River Valley are in the Upper- Austral zone and the 

 climate is warmer. The presence of salt marshes along the shore, 

 a broad river valley cutting througli the center, and wooded hills 

 and valleys,, lakes and streams, each side of this river give a variety 

 of natural conditions with a consequent variety in the fauna. It is 

 obviously absurd to claim that any one species of Diptera is confined 

 to the limits of such a relatively small region as Connecticut which 

 is neither unique in its natural characteristics nor isolated. In this 

 work all of the species which are likely to be found in the state are 

 included. 



The Diptera of Connecticut is a compilation by several authors 

 who have used the sources of information available to them. Each is 

 a specialist on that section of the work which bears his name. This 

 has led to some lack of uniformity in the terminology, but each sec- 

 tion is a complete unit and is accompanied by explanatory text figures, 

 so no confusion should result. 



In any phase of entomological work, be it economic or otherwise, 

 the correct identification of the species concerned is the first essential. 

 This is the major purpose of the present work. The localities in which 

 the species occurs and the frequency with which it is found are also 

 important. This information, along with some of a relevant nature, 

 will be found in the fcUowing pages. The classification of such a 

 large group of animals as the Diptera is never in a completely satis- 

 factory state, and the interrelations of families and genera can only 

 be expressed as the view of the author. However, the statement has 

 been made to the effect that the important point is the correct deter- 

 mination of the species, for God made that, and families and genera 

 are i^urely human conceptions and hence of less significance. 



This first part of the Diptera of Connecticut contains a section 

 on comparative morphology, the key to the families and a section 

 on the primitive tipuloicl flies. Other sections will follow. A sepa- 

 rate bibliography of the more important literature accompanies each 

 section. 



LiTEKATUKE CiTED 



1. Britton, W. E. 1920: — Check-list of the insects of Connecticut. Connecticut 

 State Geol. and Nat. Hist. Surv. Bull. 31. 



1938 : — Additions to the check-list of the insects of Connecticut. Conn. 

 State Geol. and Nat. Hist. Surv. Bull. 60. 



