324 



ward by sonic investigators that Mycctohia pallipcs has an amphip- 

 neustic larva with the statement that ahhough he has not seen the larva 

 he nevertheless believes "that the supposed difference rests upon an 

 error of observation." Thus the careful work of real investigators is 

 ignominiously thrust aside because this writer considers that the facts 

 given, not being in conformity with his ideas and consonant with his 

 unwarranted deductions, are necessarily erroneous. Psychological 

 classifications are not reliable ; and while they are at time interesting 

 reading the real factors in classification must first be more fully inves- 

 tigated before any safe ground for deductions as to relationships of 

 families is provided. Notwithstanding the absence of functional ab- 

 dominal spiracles, we may with an easv mind retain Mycetobia in the 

 Mycetophilid(€, and it is not improbable that further investigation will 

 prove that it is not the only genus which presents such a departure 

 from what is now considered the normal condition in the family. In 

 fact, the European species Polylcpta Icptogastcr Winnertz has been 

 proven by Schmitz to be a departure in a more remarkable manner 

 than is the present species.* 



It is not necessary that I should deal with this paper here, but as it 

 appeared three years before the note on classification which has been 

 referred to, and as the genus Polylcpta occurs in North America it is 

 obvious that mention of it at least is not out of place in the present 

 connection. 



Predac'eous and Parasitic Orthokrhapha 



( lh)Jiihy[ii(hc, Alydaiihc, .Isiliihc, llicrciidcc, and Cyrtidcc) 



It may seem a little presumptuous to formulate a method for the 

 separation of the next seven genera dealt with upon tlie slender basis 

 afforded by the species available to me, but it is not improbable that the 

 characters which separate these may be found serviceable in the sepa- 

 ration of others as yet unknown to me, and a key is given herewith 

 which sets forth the structural differences observed that are consid- 

 ered as probabl}^ of generic value. It is essential to a better under- 

 standing of generic relations, not only of the genera here dealt with 

 but of all genera in the so-called Ncnioccra, that a knowledge of the 

 early stages be obtained. It is also necessary that entomologists who 

 may be in possession of materials or data, or mav later have either, 

 should place whatever they have upon record as an aid to the elucida- 

 tion of the problems connected with the classification of the group, it 



*Biologiseh-aii;itoiiiisoTie Untorsu('hun;^eii an einer hohleiibewohneiideii Myccto- 

 philidenlarve, Polylepta Icptogastcr Winu. Natuurhistorisch Geiiootschap in Limburg. 

 Jaarboeek, 1912, 4th Note. 



