294 Mr. W. Wesche on systematic affinities of the. Phoridm 



classitication. The Leptidiy come next, as their mouth 

 parts are nearly identical with those of the Lonchopteiida?. 

 Then come the Stratiomyida?, Tabanida?, Bombylida^, 

 Therevidce and Scenopinidce in their usual order, and the 

 Cyrtidas close the list in the Orthorrapha, occupying a 

 position where their very large teguhie do not seem at ail out 

 of place. It will be seen by this rearrangement that the first, 

 second and third families possess the striking character of 

 the process in the pharynx, the third, fourth and fifth, 

 the equally striking character of the peculiar articulation 

 of the antenna^, while the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh 

 have chitinous plates on the paraglossa;, and from the 

 second to the seventh family (the Stratiomyidas) all six 

 have the mandibles embedded on the ventral side. 



Affinities between the Phorid.e and the Doli- 

 chopodid^. 



1. General morphology. — The thorax and the coxae, 

 particularly the fore coxa\ are often similar, and the legs 

 are sometimes much alike. 



2. AntenN/E. — The Dolichopodida^ Phorida^, and Lon- 

 chopteridffi have a common peculiar articulation of the 

 third joint, discussed more at length in the earlier part of 

 the paper. 



3. Characters in the mouth parts. — (a) In Doli- 

 chopus the mandibles are also embedded on the ventral 

 side, on the median line of the mentum. (h) What re- 

 mains of the maxillai instead of remaining in the base 

 of the labium as is almost invariably the case, occupy 

 a very anterior position, as far as my observations go — a 

 unique position and a character confined to the two 

 families, (c) There are only two other families in Diptera 

 in which the labrum is armed, the Dolichopodidte and the 

 Empidie. (d) On the labrum of many species of Phorida3, 

 high powers show a decided pubescence. The hairy 

 nature of the labrum is a peculiar character of the Doli- 

 chopodidaj. (c) The hypopharynx is strong, deeply 

 channelled, and viewed laterally is more like its homo- 

 logue in Bolichojms than in any other family. (/) The 

 palpi are large, and bear a number of bristles, and similar 

 conditions exist in many Dolichopodidse. (g) The taste 

 hairs are similarly arranged, and are larger than in the 

 Muse id SB. 



