PSYCHODIM: 581 



including a new genus, Centrorhyncus. Another genus, Tersesthes, Townsend 

 (Centrotypus. Grass! ; Mycterotypus. Noe), also occurs in Brazil. 



Culicoides ornatus, Taylor, is described from Townsville, Australia, found in 

 mangrove swamps. It is a very vicious biter and causes considerable irritation, 

 settling on hands and wrists (Taylor, Rep. Ent. Aust. Inst. Trop. Med. [1911], 

 1913, p. 24). 



Family. Psychodidae (Owl Midges). 



This family of diptera is of considerable importance, not only on account of the 

 blood-sucking habits of some species, but especially on account of one at least having 

 been proved to be the carrying agent of " papataci " fever, a three-day fever very 

 prevalent in Malta and several parts of Southern Europe in the autumn. 



It is also possible that these small flies are connected with the formation of 

 41 Delhi boil," caused by a protozoan parasite. 



Psychodidce are all very small flies, many of which have a moth-like appearance, 

 and owing to their fluffy nature are spoken of in Britain as "owl flies," sometimes 

 also as " window flies." Their bodies and wings are covered with hairs, densely in 

 some (sub-family Psychodina\ and in a few with patches of flat squamae. In the non- 

 blood-sucking Psychodince the wings are carried in a peculiar manner downwards 

 over the body, to a slight extent resembling the Hepialidce, or swift moths. The 



FIG. 404. An owl midge, Phlebotojmis sp. Greatly enlarged. 

 (From Giles's "Gnats or Mosquitoes.") 



wings may be ovoid or lanceolate, and have a marked venation as seen in the figure. 

 The proboscis is short and non-suctorial in the majority of genera, but in the sub- 

 family Phlebotomin<z it is elongated and hard. The antennas are long and of sixteen 

 segments, and bear whorls of fine hair. 



There are two sub-families, Psychodince and Phlebotomince ; in the former the 

 mouth is not suctorial ; the female has a horny ovipositor and the second longitu- 

 dinal vein is branched at the root of the wing ; in the second sub-family the proboscis 

 may be formed for sucking, the female has no horny ovipositor, and the second long 

 vein has its first fork near the middle of the wing. 



The sub-family Phlebolomina contains the genus Phlebotomus, which occurs in 

 South Europe, South Asia, Africa, North and South tropical America. They are 

 all small grey, brown, or dull yellow-coloured flies, and carry their wings when at rest 

 upwards like a butterfly. The proboscis is moderately long and the legs long and thin. 



The females are most vicious blood-suckers, but in some species anyhow the 



