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



General coloration grayish brown, the praescutum with four 

 very poorly indicated darker stripes, the intermediate pair narrowly 

 separated. Legs yellow, the femoral tips, tibial bases and tips, tips 

 of basitarsi and all remaining tarsal segments dark brown. Wings 

 (Fig, 18) broad, the anal angle very conspicuous; whitish subhyaline, 

 handsomely cross-banded with brown, with pale spots in centers of 

 bands at origin of Es, along elements of cord, fork of A'o+s, outer 

 end of cell Isf Mo, supernumerary crossvein in cell M3 and as marginal 

 spots near ends of longitudinal veins. Abdomen brown, with caudal 

 borders of tergites restrictedly pale, $. L. 7-8.5 mm, ; w. 8 - 10 mm. 

 ? . L. 7 - 8 mm, ; w. 10 - 11 mm. 



(June, July) Que.. N. H., Mass.. N. Y., Md., N. C, S. C, Ga., nw. Fla. (Canadian, 

 Transition), 



The species is local in distribution but is more abundant and 

 widely distributed than was formerly believed. Its recent discovery 

 in numbers in eastern Canada has been discussed bv Crampton (Can. 

 Ent, 61:70-72; 1929) and Alexander (Ihid., 63:^137; 1931). Still 

 more recently Dr. Henry Townes, Jr., has discovered it in some 

 numbers in the mountains of South Carolina and Prof. J. Speed 

 Kogers in northwestern Florida. 



The immature stages occur in wet sandy soil at margins of major 

 streams, indicating an aquatic or nearly aquatic habitat. The very 

 remarkable immature stages have been described and figured in detail 

 [Alexander, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales, 55:221-230, 2 pis. 

 (larva, pupa); 1930. Crampton, Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc. 25:239- 

 258, pis. 15-18 (larva) ; 1930. Crampton, Proc. Ent, Soc. Washing- 

 ton, 32 : 83 - 98, pis. 3 - 5 (pupa) ; 1930] . The adult flies may be swept 

 from rank herbaceous vegetation and low shrubbery near the margins 

 of large streams and small rivers (Alexander, Ent. News, 21: 254; 

 1910). 



Family PTYCHOPTERIDAE 



by Charles P. Alexander, Ph. D. 

 Massachusetts State College 



1927. Ptychopteridae. Alexander, Genera Lisectorum, Fasc. 188: 

 1 - 12, pi. 



Head transverse, closely applied to thorax ; maxillary palpi elon- 

 gate, especially the terminal segment. No ocelli. Antennae with 16 

 (Ptychopterinae) or 20 (Bittacomorphinae) segments. Mesonotum 

 Avith transverse suture bent strongly caudad at region of scutum to 

 form a deep loop; praescutum with parallel longitudinal furrows on 

 either side of median area. Prehalteres present. Tibiae with sj^urs. 

 Wings with Sc2 lacking; Bs short; E2+3 running close to R^; R^^. 

 and R2 subequal, both short; cell R^ present; cell M^ present. Fig. 

 19, A (Ptychopterinae), or lacking, Fig. 19, B (Bittacomorphinae): 

 distal section of Cu^ very strongly sinuous ; a longitudinal fold in cell 



