14 



s|jccies live under the damp bark of dead trees, in weeping spots on 

 tree triini<s, and in decayint^ vegetable matter generally, such as 

 manure, rotting fungi, &c. These terrestrial larv;e are usuall)' shorter 

 than the aquatic ones, and do not move in serpentine fashion. 



The precise number of species of British blood-sucking midges has 

 yet to be determined ; the two figured on Plate i are among the most 

 common. 



Genus 

 CERATOPOGON, Meigen.* 



Ceratopogon varius, Winn. 



Plate I, fig. I. 



This e.xceedingly minute fly, the female of which measures onl\- 

 i^ mm. in length, is, within the personal experience of the writer, a 

 vigorous blood-sucker, and, when it is engaged in operations on the 

 back of one's hand, its tin\- abdomen can be seen increasing in size 

 and turning pink as the blood is pumped into it. Blood-sucking 

 midges are seldom collected, and the Museum series of this species 

 is insufficient to throw much light on its seasonal or local occurrence 

 in the British Islands ; but tliere are specimens from Newmarket 

 Cambridgeshire, May sth ; and Frant, Sussex, June i6th, i8S6 

 {G. H. Vertall); and from Kingsbury, Middlesex, June 14th, i8yi 

 {E. E. Aiistcn). 



The geographical range of this species includes Northern and 

 Central Europe. 



* Sonic few jeais ago Lalieillc's genus CulUoidcs was revived by Kicfl'ei (Bull, do la 

 Soc. dTIist. Xal. de Metz, 2i>i-m= Caliier (Metz: 1901.), p. 143) for Uie group of species 

 which includes Ceratopogon varim, Winn., & C. puluaris, l.iiui. The aulhor in ipiestion 

 also introduced three other genera at the expense of the nld genus Ccratopoi^oii, which, 

 owing to the large ninnber of species comprised in il, w.is in urgent need of division. For 

 the purposes of the present wurk, however, it has licen thought unneces.sary to change the 

 nomenclature adopted in Verrall's ' List,' 2nd 1>1. (1901). 



