12 AMERICAN BLACK FLIES OR BUFFALO GNATS. 



opinion, is synonymous witli rcptam Linna?ns. In Catalogus Dip- 

 terorum, volume 1, 1902, page 2'^'^^ colomhaschense Fabricius^ is given 

 as a synonym of maculatum Meigen.^ I can not understand the reason 

 for this, unless it be that the name columhaczense Schonbauer ' has 

 obtained such currency that there is a disinclination to replace it 

 by a new name, should the slight difference in spelling be accounted 

 insufficient to distinguish the species. Thus it is evident that 

 Simulium is a well-authenticated genus. 



The resurrection of Meigen's paper of 1800 * did, however, tempo- 

 rarily alter conditions, and the suggestion has been made, and acted 

 upon in some cases, that Meluslna Meigen should supplant Simulium 

 Latreille. That I have not accepted this view is due, not to the fact 

 that there were no species included in the genus, but that the first 

 species cited as belonging to it, Tipula regelationis Linnseus,^ is that 

 which was given as the type of Atractocera Meigen. The placing of 

 this species in Atractocera by Meigen was probably based upon a 

 misidentification ; still the species, which is now considered as a 

 Trichocera Meigen,'' must be accepted as the type of Atractocera 

 Meigen, and as this genus is given for the first time by Hendel ^ as 

 synonymous with Melusina Meigen, it follows that Melusiiui must 

 be accepted as the generic name of the group to which regelationis 

 Linnaeus belongs. In other words, both Atractocera Meigen and 

 THehocera Meigen must, if we strictly adhere to the rules governing 

 zoological nomenclature, be considered as synonyms of Meluslna 

 Meigen. Thus I am able, by adhering to the strict letter of the 

 law, to retain the name best known and most generally used for the 

 family. The question of the retention of Trichocera Meigen as the 

 generic name for the group containing regelationis Linnaeus I shall 

 leave to others to decide upon; it is not within the scope of this paper 

 to discuss more than the validity of the names used within the 

 Simuliidae. 



UNRECOGNIZABLE SPECIES AND SYNONYMS. 



In practically every family of Diptera there are species which it is 

 impossible to identify from the original descriptions, and in no family 

 is this more apparent, with the possible exception of the Chironomidae 

 in Great Britain,^ than in the Simuliidae. The species are so similar 

 in general appearance and the tangible characters are so difficult to 



iMantLssa Ins., vol. 2, 1787, p. ."iSS, No. 1.5. 



2 Klass., vol. 1, 1804, p. 95, No. 3, Atractocera. 



3 Gesch. d. schiidl. Kolumb. Miicken, Culex, 1795. 



* Noiiv. Class. Mouch. 



s niiff. Mag., vol; 2, 1803, p. 263. 



• Illig. Mag., vol. 2, 1S03, p. 262. 



' Veiiiiindl. zool.-bot. Ges. in Wien, vol. 58, 1908, p. 50. 



" VtMiall, ill Ills list of Brilish Diptera, 1001, jiliiccs 09 of Walker's species of Chi- 

 ronomuK among the " unrecognizable spocics." 



