Objects for the Microscope. 125 



veining of the Nemocera. The costal vein is the one which 

 borders the fore-part of the wing, ending at the tip. The 

 noxt to that is the sub-costal, which here is prolonged to 

 five-sixths of the length of the wing, and connected with 

 the radial by a very short veinlet close to the tip ; the 

 radial and cubital spring from a common petiole, which 

 is about one-sixth of their length, and proceeds from the 

 sub-costal at half the length of the wing ; it is connected 

 with the externo-medial by a transverse veinlet at a little 

 before its fork ; the cubital is forked at half its length ; 

 the externo-medial also forked. These two veins being 

 distinguished thus, help the eye in determining the others. 

 Observe also that faint streak or spurious vein between the 

 forked veins. This wing has no discal areolets, such as 

 are always found in the true Tipula?, or Daddy-long-legs. 

 These numerous parallel veins in a solitary wing would 

 enable us to ascertain the division to which the fly belonged, 

 even if the long antennae and peculiar palpi were unseen. 

 A collection of wings alone from this group would be 

 highly interesting for comparison, and for their beautiful 

 delicate forms. 



The halteres also should be carefully mounted, and the 

 clusters of nerve- vesicles observed, especially those of Tipula 

 gigantea, T. Oleracea, Limnobia, and Bibio. 



SCATOPHAGA. 



This brings us to the second great group of the Diptera, 

 in which the common House-fly, the Blow-fly, the Horse- 

 fly, and others well known, are found. 



THE FAMILY OF THE BRACHYCERA, 



in which the antennae are short, never exceeding ten joints, 

 more frequently having only from three to six. The wings 

 also have branched veins, and are fewer in number than 

 those of the Nemocera. Their bodies are stouter, and the 

 palpi short, projecting above the proboscis, or lying on it. 

 These are the flies which throng our flowers, haunt the 



