﻿vii PSYCHODIDAE DIXIDAE TIPULIDAE 47 I 



of which it breathes in the air, and a pair at the posterior 

 extremity of the body, surrounded by four ciliated processes, 

 with which it forms a sort of cup for holding air when it is 

 in the water. The favourite position is amongst the filaments 

 of green algae on which it feeds. A much more extraordinary 

 firm of larva from South America, doubtless belonging to 

 this family, has recently been portrayed by Fritz Midler, 

 under the name of Mdruina. 1 These larvae live in rapid waters 

 in company with those of the genus Gurupira, and like the 

 latter are provided with a series of suctorial ventral discs. 

 Fritz Muller's larvae belong to several species, and probably to 

 more than one genus, and the respiratory apparatus at the 

 extremity of the body exhibits considerable diversity among 

 them. 



Fam. 8. Dixidae. — The genus Bixa must, it appears, form a 

 distinct family allying the Culicid series of families to the 

 Tipulidae. The species are small, gnat-like Insects, fond of 

 damp places in forests. "VVe have four British species (I). 

 maculata, D. nebulosa, D. aestivalis, D. aprilina). The genus is 

 very widely distributed, occurring even in Australia. The 

 larvae are aquatic, and have been described by Keaumur, 

 Miall, and Meinert. The pupa has the legs coiled as in the 

 (Julicidae. 



Fam. 9. Tipulidae {Daddy-long-legs, or Crane-flies). — Slender 

 Insects with elongate legs, a system of wing-nervures, rather com- 

 plex, especially at the tip: (in ungulate, or open V-shaped, suture 

 on the dorsum of the thorax in front of the wings : the female 

 with the body terminated by a pair of hard, pointed processes, 

 concealing some other jwocesses, and forming an ovipositor. The 

 curious, silly Insects called daddy-long-legs are known all 

 over the world, the family being a very large one, and found 

 everywhere, some of its members extending their range even 

 to the most inclement climates. It includes a great variety 

 of forms that would not be recognised by the uninitiated, 

 but can be readily distinguished by the characters mentioned 

 above. It is impossible to assign any reason of utility for 

 the extreme elongation of the legs of these Insects ; as 

 everyone knows, they break off with great ease, and the Insect 

 appears to get on perfectly well without them. It is frequently 

 1 Tr. cut. Soc. London, 1895, p. 479. 



