288 Mr. W. Wesclie on systematic ufiniiics of the Phorida} 



species, a frontal barb and lateral sharp processes, while 

 in the male it is, though aia})lc in size, quite unarmed, 

 and tlio teeth on the paraglossai are much less developed 

 than those of the female. 



The arrangement and number of parts are nearly similar 

 to those in Jjihio ; but the paraglossa; are very large and 

 bear rather widely separated, relatively narrow tracheaj ; 

 the cleft between the paired lobes is very deep and unlike 

 Bibio has chitiuised plates on the interior edges. The 

 mandibles are soldered into the mentum in the median 

 line, and consequently are as in Dolicliopus as well as 

 Bibio on the ventral side, opposed to the condition found 

 in the Muscidse, where they are invariably on the dorsal 

 side. 



The lacininas of the maxilke are fused at their points 

 and form the curious triangular aculeation, at the base of 

 the cleft of the paraglossa3 characteristic of the Phorid 

 trophi; the cardines are hard to differentiate and may 

 have disappeared. The labrum has in addition to the 

 armature already mentioned, in all the species I have 

 examined, a minute pubescence on the anterior extremities, 

 only to be seen with very high powers. The hypopharynx 

 is strong, and deeply channelled and suggestive of a 

 raptorial habit. 



The paraglossre carry a number of " taste hairs" which 

 occupy two positions, as besides the usual solitary hair at 

 the end of the trachea, there are a number of taste hairs 

 on the edges of the paraglossiP, the ventral surfaces of 

 which have a tendency to chitinise, and have an appearance 

 similar to that found in Nematocerous forms. 



This arrangement is peculiar, and a searcli through my 

 collection has resulted in the finding of a striking similarity 

 in the paraglossa' of Lcptis sroJo2Mcca, L., not only in the 

 position of the taste hairs at the edges, and the chitinous 

 ventral membrane of the paraglossa;, but in the general ap- 

 pearance, in the narrow trachea}, the tubes much separated 

 from each other, and in tiie deep cleft, the edges chitinised 

 between the two paraglossoa. The mandibles are also on 

 the ventral side, but here the similarities end, as they are 

 laterally placed and have not fused in the median line. 

 Similar conditions are found on the labium of Lonchoptcra 

 fiaviccmday Mg., together with an armature identical with 

 L. scolopacea. The tracheae are narrow, and spring from 

 paired chitinous plates. The palpi are maxillary and not 



