SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE DIPTEROUS FAMILY PHORID^E. 155 



of the scarcest of our species, P. femoratus Mg.. is also an early 

 one, but is generally a chance capture. Of the flower-frequenting 

 species which appear in May, and for the most part continue 

 till June or later, the following may be noted as common : — 

 Conicera atra, Mg., C. similis, Hal., Trineura aterrhna, F., 

 2'. velutina, Mg., Phora concinna, Mg., P. cequalis, Wood, P. 

 campestris, Wood, P. parva, Wood, P. decreta, Wood, P. fusci- 

 nervis, Wood, and P. tmispinosa, Ztt. Phora nudipalpis. Beck., 

 is not uncommon also, and Metopina galeata. Hal, is to be met 

 with, where it is possible to see such a tiny mite, in fair numbers. 

 One of our rarest species in the second group is Phora Mallochi, 

 Wood. So far I have only obtained five specimens, one having 

 been taken in September and the others late in April and May. 

 P. glabrifrons, Wood, is also a rare species which occurs about the 

 same time. 



During the summer, most of the species may be met with by 

 sweeping; and common amongst them will be found P. rvfipes, 

 Mg., P. rufa, Wood, P. lutea, Mg., P. crassicornis, Mg., P. Beckeri, 

 \\'ood, P. rata. Wood, P. fusca, Wood, P. humilis, Wood, P. pleur- 

 alls, Wood, and several others still unnamed. Trine^ira Shineri, 

 Beck., is to be found on the hills early in summer. Phora urbana, 

 Mg., I have met with also iu early summer, but rarely, while P. 

 fennica, Beck., I have only seen twice. 



As the summer advances, some of the earlier species begin to dis- 

 appear, but their places are taken by others, including Gymno- 

 phora arcuata, Mg., which is common among ferns and under- 

 growth ; Phora thoracica, Mg., which I have taken abundantly at 

 rest on trunks of beech trees in July ; P. cubifalis, Beck., which 

 occurs on poplar in fair numbers here ; and P. umbrimargo, Beck., 

 a fairly common species. 



Early autumn produces Phora citreiformis, Beck., and P. 

 vitripennis, Mg., both of which may be taken on umbelliferous 

 plants, P. carinifrons, Ztt, is now also most abundant. 



As the season advances, fungi produce the following ; P. so7-dida, 

 Ztt., P.Jlava, Fin., P. pubericornis, Mich., and a large number of 

 smaller fry. Phora pusilla, Mg., is one of the smaller species 

 which occur about this time, as is also P. costalis, von Ros ; while 

 P. h-evicostalis, Wood, may be met with occasionally during 

 autumn, along with P. conformis, Wood. One of the last species 



