4 AN ACCOUNT OF BRITISH FLIES. 
Oustalet also describes a species of Stratiomys from Pontary in the 
Miocene deposits. 
8.—NEMATOCERA. 
Fam. Rhyphide.—Brodie has figured a species of this family from 
the English Purbecks under the name of Ahiphus priscus. 
It is more abundant in the Tertiaries, and is described by Heer. 
Fam. Zipulide.—We now come to a very abundant family, both in 
present and past times. The Tipulide attained great variety in the 
Tertiary period, which contained many that are now entirely extinct. 
The Tipulidze are recorded in the Oolite of Solenhofen by Weyen- 
bergh, and from the Lias and Purbecks by Brodie, Westwood and 
Murchison. I have also found a specimen in the Wealden, although 
in a very imperfect condition. 
A great many are also recorded from that great storehouse of 
insects of Tertiary times—viz., amber. Loew has found as many as 
sixteen species of Tipule in amber, one of Macrochile and four of 
Dixa. Tipule has also been reported from Aix, Utah, and Italy, 
and also from Sicilian amber. 
It has also been recognised in the Eocene of the Isle of Wight and 
the larval form at Sieblos. 
Fam. Chironomide.—These delicate little flies have been preserved 
since Mesozoic times, where they seem to have been of not un- 
common occurrence. But it is not until we get to the Tertiary 
ambers that we find them in any abundance. They are recorded 
from the English Purbecks and from the Lias of Dobbertin, It is 
also probable that Ahyphus priscus, described by Brodie, and men- 
tioned above, belongs to this family, and not to the Rhyphide. If so, 
this adds another one to the list of Mesozoic forms of this family. 
Fam. Culicide. —'Two imperfect specimens from the English 
Purbecks are referred by Brodie to this family. One to the genus 
Culex, namely, C. fosszlis, has the antennz and legs well preserved, 
but the wings are entirely absent. 
Of course, the amber has preserved many genera and species, 
especially in Aix and Utah, and in the Tertiaries of the Isle of 
Wight. 
Fam. Bibiontde.—This family is reported to occur in Mesozoic 
strata by Geinitz, who figures a species under the name of Protomyia 
dubia, from the Lias. Scudder, however, says this is not a Dipteron 
at all. So we must at present only consider this family as a Tertiary 
one. But in Tertiary times this must have been a very abundant 
