Families Orphnephilidae, Blepharoceridae and Rhyphidae 



abdomen, working its way out slowly and holding itself upright 

 in spite of the swift current. Where only a quarter of an inch of 

 water flowed over their heads flies were able to hold to the pupa 

 skins with their hind legs, the body being free from the water. 

 The wings then expanded and they flew away. Where the water 

 was deeper the flies were carried down the stream and possibly 

 perished. The commonest species of the northeastern states is 

 Blepharocera capitata Loew, which occurs in the District of Co- 

 lumbia, in central New York, in the White Mountains and in 

 Canada. 



The family Rhyphidae, the members of which have been 

 called the "false crane flies," is composed in general of small 

 flies with broadly rounded and spotted wings. It is a small 

 family and only two genera are represented in this country. The 

 early stages of none of our American species are known but in 

 Europe they are described as long, slender, worm-like creatures 

 which are found in decaying wood, in cow dung, in decaying 

 fruit and even in dirty water. 



