March, '03] entomological news. 74 



described show greatly lengthened palpi, as albipalpii s AXdx'xch, 

 for instance. The first species described under this genus 

 were stout and possessed short legs and rather broad wings, 

 but forms later described show that a stature as slender as 

 that of the present species may obtain also. Its narrowed 

 wings and slender legs suggest an affinity to Diaplwnis, but 

 here also the middle legs are never longest, while the minute 

 pulvilli, the obliterated face and the glabrous hypopygium pre- 

 clude this genus. 



Curiously enough all other genera of Dolichopodidcc have 

 their palpi either incumbent upon the proboscis or hanging by 

 its side. The enormous size of the palpi of philtrum in relation 

 to the minute proboscis naturally can not allow of this juxta- 

 position and the palpi are free to grow laterally. In the genus 

 Orthochik the palpi are ribbon-like, in Diostrams and Aphro- 

 syhis they are spoon-shaped, all the remaining members of 

 this family have the palpi small and comparatively scale-like. 

 Thus the present species departs in the shape as well as the 

 size and orientation of its mouth-parts. As an interesting 

 accompaniment of the enlarged palpi may be noticed the 

 reduction of the orbital cilia. Of the other genera, the males 

 of Diostracus alone have the palpi longer than those of the 

 females. Should philtrum conform with the rule in this 

 family what a remarkable animal the female must be ! But it 

 is far more likely that this secondary sexual character is not 

 repeated in the other sex, and that when the female is dis- 

 covered she will present no characters at variance with typical 

 Chrysotus. It is greatly to be desired that the courtship- 

 habits of these species with enlarged mouth-parts be made 

 known, and especially of this form which has the accompany- 

 ing allurement of tarsal ornamentation. 



