Vin. DIPTKRA OF THE SIMLA DISTRICT. 



By E. Brunetti. 



Introductory Note. 



Mr. Brunetti has asked me to prefix an introductory note to his paper, which 

 is based on the collections of the Indian Museum (Zoological Survey of India) 

 and of the Imperial Agricultural Institute at Pusa. We have to thank Mr. T. 

 Bainbrig-g-e- Fletcher, Imperial Entomologist, for co-operation in the matter. 



The term " Simla District " is not used in any precise geographical or 

 political sense but merely to indicate localities in and at the base of the Himalayas 

 near Simla whence specimens are available. The chief localities are Dharampur 

 (alt. 5,000 ft.) ' , Kasauli (6,300 ft.), Simla (7,000 ft.), Phagu (9,000 ft.), Theog 

 (8,000 ft.), and Matiana (8,000 ft.). The last three are on the Tibet-Himalayan 

 road. 



Most of these localities are, therefore, at considerable, but none at very great 

 altitudes. It is important to remember that the Simla Himalayas, at any rate 

 from 7,000 feet upwards, and also to a large extent at lower altitudes, lie practically 

 in the Palaearctic Region. Such plants as the edelweiss flourish by the roadside, 

 with roses, dandelions and primulas ; and many of the butterflies are no more 

 at most th.in races of those with which we are familiar in England. There 

 are no tropical forests, but pine-woods and bare hillsides. It is, I think, important 

 that this fact should be emphasized in dealing with an Indian district so remote 

 in everyway from what, in Europe, naturalists would attribute to India. 



A large part of the material on which Mr. Brunetti has worked was collected 

 by mvself from year to year in the month of Ma\', while I was on duty at Simla as a 

 member of the Board of Scientific Advice, and the spring" fauna is, therefore, 

 better represented than that, which is probably richer, of the monsoon rains 

 and early autumn. In the presant state of our knowledg-e of the Indian Diptera, 

 it is advisable to do no more than glance at certain of the groups of Brachy- 

 cera, for example, the Muscinae Verae, the Asilidae and many of the Acalyp- 

 trata. A few conspicuous species may be safely identified, but the majority 

 are best left unnamed until the different forms can be investigated, family by 

 family, from different countries or at any rate from large areas. Much still 

 remains to be done also among the Nemocera. Kiefter has been able merely to 

 touch the fringe of the Chironomidae, and of the other families, which for the most 

 part reach their adult stage in the wet season, Mr. Brunetti is not in a position to 

 examine much material. The Mycetophilidae in particular are very imperfectly 

 represented in collections, whilst the Cecidomyidae are quite unknown. This of 

 course is through no fault of Mr. Brunetti, to whom we are indebted for by far 

 the greater part of such knowledge as we possess of the Indian Diptera. 



N. A. 



Family MYCETOPHILIDAE. 

 Subfamily SCIARINAE. 

 Sciara indica, Walk. 

 //IS. Saiiiid. Dipt., pt. V, p. 419. 



Pliagu, 21-V-16. Occurs at several Himalayan localities and 

 as far south as Siliguri. It is conspicuous by the reddish or 



1 These altitudes are merely approximate. 



