270 TIPULIDJE. 



(BHAMPHIDIINI) with 12 joints, Rhapidola bis* and Dicranota with 

 13 joints, Via with 17 (all AMALOPINI), and so on. 



The joints of the flagellum are usually well separated from one 

 another, sufficiently so as to be tolerably easily counted in most 

 instances with the aid of an ordinary microscope in the case of 

 quite small species, and by means of an ordinarily powerful ento- 

 mological hand-lens in the case of the larger species. In one 

 genus (Trichocera) the joints are, however, so coalescent towards 

 the tip of the antennae that it is quite impossible to state their 

 number with absolute certainty. t 



Verticillate antennaB are the most common form, that is to say, 

 possessing a circlet of long isolated hairs on each joint, perhaps 

 four to six (four is a very general number, arranged two on the 

 upper and two on the lower side) ; these are in addition to the 

 close microscopic pubescence with which practically every antenna 

 is covered, and which itself varies in length and abundance in 

 different species. The verticillate row may be placed at the base 

 of the joint or towards its centre, and these hairs occur only on 

 the flagellum, never on the scape, which generally bears a few 

 short stiff bristly hairs irregularly placed or arranged in one or 

 two rows towards the tip of each joint. 



The feathery (or plumose) antenna?, so common in the males of 

 CULICIDJE and CHIKOKOMID^:, are absolutely unknown in the TIPU- 

 LID^E. In some genera, CtenojjJiora^ Psellioplwra and their allies, 

 are found very conspicuous and enlarged pectinate and subpectinate 

 antennae in the males, in some instances taking very extraordinary 

 forms. Pselliophora is the most extensive genus of this nature 

 occurring in the East, whilst a genus of LIMXOBIINI that I have 

 recently described (CeratostepJianus) possesses a pair of palp-like 

 appendages to each antennal joint. Gynoplistia, Wlk., although 

 not Indian, has antennas of a similar fanciful shape, whilst other 

 foreign genera have these organs still more abnormally formed. 



THORAX. Oval, always longer than broad : occasionally what 

 might be termed " diamond-shaped with rounded angles " (Ori- 

 marga, for instance), being narrowed both in front and behind ; 

 sometimes highly arched (TeucJwlabis) or distinctly gibbous, or 

 actually prolonged over the neck (Conosia). In some genera the 

 anterior portion is elongated sufh'ciently to form a distinct neck 

 (Teucholabis, Orimarga, Ehamphidid) ; in others this neck is short 

 and inconspicuous. In some cases the head is set closely on the 



* The two new species placed in RhapMdolabis, described herein, have 15 

 distinct joints; possibly it may be necessary to remove them to a new genus. 



t Dixa, although it belongs to a different family, is another instance of the 

 same peculiarity, the antenna? dwindling away at the tip almost to the size of 

 A thick hair. When they are of this nature they may truly be called setaceous, 

 though the term is often used to designate any antenna that diminishes to a 

 fine point, even though the joints can be counted with certainty. Used in thi 

 latter sense it would apply generally to the bulk of the 



