DROSOPIIILIDJE. 107 



1). Hind tibiae with an elongated, curved spur: proboscis sometimes elon- 

 gated and folded back. . . . . HIPPELATES Loew. 

 Hind tibias without spur. ...... OSCINIS Latreille. 



37. DROSOPHILIM;. 



Eyes not prominent; face vertical in profile, with vibrissse 

 at the oral margin, 'sometimes weak. Front with bristles at 

 the vertex, not reaching beyond the middle ; usually long. 

 Third joint of the antennae oval or rounded, the arista plu- 

 mose or pectinated.* Abdomen usually short and broad, the 

 genitalia not prominent. Auxiliary vein rudimentary ; first 

 longitudinal vein short, not reaching more than a third of the 

 length of the wing; posterior basal cell united or not with the 

 discal cell; anal cell usually present; posterior cross-vein 

 sometimes wanting. 



The species in this family are invariably small, of rather a 

 plump appearance, giving a feeling of coldness to the fingers 

 when grasped; the bristles of the head and legs are generally 

 conspicuous, but the flies are without pile. The flies are often 

 caught in beating and some species are especially abundant 

 about decomposing, fermenting fruit, often observed in clouds. 

 Following Schiner, I include in this family Asteia and Slga- 

 loessa, which are considered as representatives of a distinct 

 family by Loew. The student will sometimes have difficulty 

 in deciding whether his specimens should be located here or 

 among the Ephydridae, so closely do the two families run 

 together. 



TABLE OF GENERA. 



1. Discal and second basal cells united. ...... 2 



Discal and second basal cells separated. . . ... . 4 



2. Posterior transverse vein wanting. . . . . ASTEIA Meigen. 

 Posterior transverse vein present 3 



* The plumose or pectinated arista is characteristic of the known Ameri- 

 can genera but is not a family character. 



