136 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



iarities are characteristic of the genus Micropeza, to which the fly beloncrg. As it 

 appears to be an undescribed species, it is characterized below. 



So far as I can learn, nothing is known of the habits of these flies. The acalyp- 

 trate muscidae whose habits are known breed in decaying vegetable matter and ma- 

 nure (some Cordyluridce and Helomyziclce); in decaying fruits {Drosophilidce); in 

 roots of plants [Ortalidce); in stems of plants {Oscinidce, Lonchceidce, and Agro- 

 myzidce); in fruits and seeds (Trypctidce); under decaying bark of trees (some 

 Heteroneuridce); and the larvpe of some live in the water {Ephydridce). Some Trypc- 

 tidce also make galls. The Piophilidce include the small cheese fly, whose maggots 

 breed in cheese. Certain genera, as Helomyza, Dryomyza, and Sapromyza. breed in 

 fungi ; while some Phytomyzidce are leaf miners. Last of all, some genera of the 

 small group Ochthiphilidce are parasitic in plant lice and scale insects. It is quite 

 probable that the present species breeds in the stems of some plant, most likely a 

 grass, but this does not explain its restricted occurrence in such numbers. Such a 

 breeding habit would be indicated by the ovipositor. 



Micropeza turcana n. sp. — ? blackish, ventral portions and sides light yellow. 

 Head greatly elongated, the front conically produced anteriorly. Eyes blackish, 

 elliptical, longitudinal (antero-posterior) diameter greatest. Front yellow, ocellar 

 area black; a black vitta on each side of front on sides of head (occiput I behind 

 eyes; a few small bristles on vertex. Cheeks and face yellow, face extremely re- 

 ceding, almost horizontal, produced into a longitudinal ridge; antenna? and arista 

 black. Proboscis short, fleshy, yellowish; palpi very small, blackish. Thorax 

 blackish above, with two narrow yellow vittas, broadened before and continued be- 

 hind on to the scutellum, which is otherwise blackish and bears two small bristles 

 on apex; a pleural stripe from neck to base of wing on each side, and fectus or 

 sternal portion of thorax yellow; portion of pleurae between yellow stripe and 

 sternum on each side reddish brown, more or less silvery pollinose, forming a band 

 from near neck to origin of hind legs. Abdomen very narrow and elongate, black- 

 ish above; incisures narrowly and posterior portion of sixth segment broadly yel- 

 low; venter yellow. Seventh segment prolonged into a nearly cylindrical ovipositor 

 about two-thirds the length of the abdomen, somewhat larger at base, light brown, 

 blackish distally. Legs very elongate, especially the middle and hind pairs; coxa? 

 yellow, femora brownish yellow, tibia? light brownish, their tips and tarsi blackish. 

 Wings hyaline, second basal cell united with discal cell; auxiliary and first longi- 

 tudinal veins united except at their ends, where they terminate separately in the 

 costa; third and fourth veins convergent; halteres light yellow, i differs as follows: 

 Seventh abdominal segment represented by the hypopygium, which is yellowish 

 and bent forward beneath the abdomen. Sixth segment usually more yellowish. 

 Length, both sexes, 7 to 8 mm.; of wing, 4 to fully H mm.; ovipositor of $, 2 to 

 2^ mm. Described from two female and six male specimens. Turkey Tanks, Ariz.' 

 July 1, 1892. 



