11^ DtPTfiRA 01^ MINNESOTA. 



Tiny plump flies, many of the species appearing in large numbers 

 about decaying or fermenting fruit. The pomace about cider mills 

 attracts these flies ; in fact, some writers speak of the family as "Pom- 

 ace Flies." The larvae of many of the species live in decaying fruit. 

 One of the largest in our collection is Drosophila busckii. It is of 

 a smoky color, and about one-sixth of an inch in length. 



Seventy-nine species, according to Aldrich, are found in North 

 America. Drosophila sigmoidcs, Loew ; D. ampelophila, Loew ; 

 D. funebris, Fab. ; and D. busckii, Coq. ; have been taken in this state, 

 the first being reared from pupae found in the froth of Clastoptera, 

 on hazel leaves, according to C. N. Ainslie. D. busckii was reared 

 from rotten potatoes. 



EPHYDRIDAE. 



Of moderate size, dark colored flies, some quite small. Min- 

 nesota species in the collection range from one-fourth to one-half 

 inch. The family, for the most part, is found in wet, marshy places. 

 Some of the adults are characterized by having strikingly large 

 heads. "Rat-tailed" larvae are found among some of the species 

 of this family, as among the Syrphids, and the larvae generally are 

 found in water, in the stems of aquatic plants, in the sap of trees, 

 amongst the cells of the leaves of Lemna, Alisma, etc. The genus 

 Ephydra is particularly interesting from the fact that its larvae are 



Fig. 106. Ochthera mantis. Lugger. Fig. 107. Ephydra liians. Original. 



aquatic, frequently found in enormous numbers, and are useful from 

 an economic standpoint. An account by Prof. W. H. Brewer, 



