THE FLAT-FOOTED FLIES AND THE 

 BIG-EYED FLIES 



(Families Platypezidce and Pipunculidce.) 



The flies of both of these families are common looking little 

 creatures and most uninteresting in appearance to the general 

 observer. The flies of the family Platypezidse have been called 

 "flat-footed flies." It is a small family of little flies which are 

 also found in shady places. The hind feet of many males are 

 very broad and flat from which comes the name of the family, 

 The larvae live between the gills of toad stools. 



The members of the last named group are called by Comstock 

 "the big-eyed flies" for the reason that they have very large 

 heads which seem to be composed almost entirely of eyes. They 

 are found in shady places and their larvae so far as known are 

 parasitic within the bodies of leaf-hoppers. The pupa is said to 

 resemble that of one of the Syrphus flies. 



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