LIMNOBINA. 51 



Section I. LIMNOBINA. 



One submarginal cell ; four posterior cells. Normal number of antennal 

 joints fourteen (sometimes apparently fifteen). Eyes glabrous. Tibi.ne 

 without spurs at the tip. Ungues with more or less distinct teeth on 

 the under side. Empodia indistinct or none. 



The group thus characterized is natural and compact. It 

 comprises about one-fourth of the known brevipalpous Tipulidx 

 of the United States (35 species among 135), and it seems that 

 in 'Europe nearly the same proportion obtains (in Austria 31 

 species among 127, according to Dr. Schiner's enumeration). 

 The forms of this section, belonging to the temperate regions of 

 Europe and America (and hardly anything is known about the 

 species from warmer climates) afford but little structural diversity 

 and their relationship is so great and evident that one is almost 

 more tempted to unite them all in one genus than to subdivide 

 them in several. 



The Limnobina, together with the Limnophilina, constituted 

 the bulk of the genus Limnobia in Meigen's sense. These two 

 groups also very nearly correspond to the first subdivision of 

 Meigen's genus by Macquart, in Limnobia Macq. and Limno- 

 phila Macq. Thus, w^e may look upon these two groups as the 

 repi'esentative ones of the brevipalpous Tipulidse. It was the 

 great similitude of their outward appearance, more than anything 

 else, which caused the species belonging to them to remain united 

 together in the same genus from Meigen's time up to that of the 

 latest publications, whereas genera like Rhipidia, Rhamphidia, 

 Eriojitera, Anisomera, Pedicia, etc., were singled out and sepa- 

 rated quite early, not on account of any real knowledge of the 

 peculiarities of their organization, but merely on the ground of 

 some one conspicuous character distinguishing them. And yei, 

 the contrast of characters, presented by the Limnobina and the 

 Limnophilina is very great and extends to almost every portion 



