104 
PSYCHE 
[August 
RECEXT ENTOMOLOGICAL LITERATURE. 
GEXER.\ IXSECTORUM : CHIROXOMin.\E. BV DR. J. J. KIEFFER. 
The forty-second part of Wytsman's Genera Insectorum, written by Dr. 
J. J. KiefYer, which has just appeared, deals with the Chironomidae. While 
there are no startling innovations in classification, the author has erected several 
new genera by division of some of the older ones. The family is divided into 
five subfamilies ; the Clunioninae, Tanypinae, Chironominae, Ceratopogoninae, 
and Steno.xeninae. The second, third and fourth subfamilies correspond ^.p- 
pro.ximately to Meigen's genera, Tanypus, Chironomus, and Ceratopogon. 
The position of Diamesa among the Tanypinae may be questioned, for both 
larval and imaginal characters point to a much closer relationship to Orthocla- 
dius and Thalassomyia among the Chironominae. The family Stenoxenidae is 
here reduced to subfamily rank under the Chironomidae. thus following .Aldrich. 
M'ulpiella is made a synonym of Aletriocnemus : four subgenera are erected 
under Orthocladius ; Diamesa is broken up into two genera. Prodiamesa and 
Diamesa. the latter with two subgenera : Psilotanypus is separated from Procla- 
dius : Protanypus from Anatopynia, and Trichotanypus from Tanypus. In the 
subfamilv Ceratopogoninae, Heteromyia and Serromyia have been raised to 
generic rank, while Ceratopogon, Hezzia, and Palpomyia each have two or three 
subgenera under them. 
Considering the e.xtent of the work, very f^w, errors of either omission or 
commission can be found. The following, of interest to American readers, may 
be noted. Orthocladius fugax cannot belong to the subgenus Dactylocladius 
since it is said to have hairy eyes: Diamesa nivoriunda Fitch (,p. .36) should be 
omitted (See Rul. X. AA State Museum X'o. 86. p. 274. line 1.5) : Tanypus 
steinenii Gercke is not North .American; Culicoides scutellatus -Meigen is 
classed with both Culicoides and Ceratopogon : Bezzia venustula is listed with 
both Ceratolophus and Bezzia ; Ceratolophus pictus seems to be omitted ; and 
I'halassomyia fusca (No. 3. ]). 14) should be omitted: it is the same as Th. 
obscura and the name is due to a lapsus memoriae on the part of its author. 
. The name Ceratolophus is preoccupied and should be changed. The four plates 
which show figures of wings and other details of structure are e.xcellent, in 
manv cases better than the originals from which they are copied. 
The paper is a noteworthy contribution to the study of the Chironomidae 
and the author. Dr. Kieffer, is to. be congratulated upon its excellent arrange- 
ment and fine appearance, O, .A. Joh.\xn.sex, 
