Synonyiuica aboiä Tipulidae. 259 



I have noticed in Monogr. IV, p. 171, und upon which Mik's genus 

 Symplectomorpha is principally based (the absence of the super- 

 numerary crossvein in the second submarginal cell is, in this instance. 

 irrelevant). 



The frequency of an open discal cell in E. trivialis may be a 

 symptom of its relationship to Trimicra. Mr. v. d. Wulp, in Ann. 

 Soc. Ent. Belg. 1893, p. 499 describes and figures a European specimen 

 of Trimicra with an adventitiously open discal cell. In my Studies 

 etc. II, p. 19.") I have noticed that in New Zealand a species occurs 

 in which the discal cell seems to bc always open. Mr. Skuse mentions 

 the same anomaly as occurring often among the Australian species. 

 All the forms, belonging to this group require to be studied more 

 closely especially in regard of the strueture of the male forceps: the 

 proposed genus Symplectomorpha Mik, his assertion that Symplecta 

 grata Loew is a Psiloconopa (W. E. Z. 1886, p. 318), the assertion 

 in NowickTs Beiträge etc. p. 17 (1S73) that Gnophomyia pusilla 

 Schiner is also a Psiloconopa, and other forms which may be dis- 

 covered yet; all this requires revision. It would be futile to introduce 

 new genera, when the old ones are still insufficiently detined. Lioy 

 (I Dittcri etc. 1864, p. 42) pruposed the generic name Platytoma for 

 E. cinerascens M.; but the character upon which he founds it, the 

 length and stoutness of the second Joint of the antennae. proves that 

 he established this genus merely upon the figure of the antenna given 

 by Meig. I, Tab. 4, f. 6, just as Macquart, in the later period of 

 his career, founded genera of which he had never scen a specimen, 

 and merely upon Statements which he had found in different writers. 

 Besides, the name Platytoma is preoecuped by Dejean for a genus 

 of Coleoptera in 1833. 



The synonymy of trivialis M., which for the present I shall 

 continue to call Erioptera. but in the widest sense, may be set down 

 as follows: 



Erioptera(V) trivialis Meig., I, p. 112 (1818). 



Limnobia ciliaris Schum., p. 151, 35 (1829). [O.S.] 

 Limnobia sericea Macq., Dipt. du Nord I, p. 103 (1824). 

 [Schum.; D.S.] 

 (?) Erioptera cinerascens Walker (uec Meigenj, Ins. Brit. Dipt. 

 III, p. 275. [O.S.] 

 The species diuturna Wk. and grisea Wk. added by Verrall 

 (1. c. p. 118) as synonyms, are very doubtful, because, in both de- 

 scriptions, the basal joints of the antennae are called tawny, which 

 is not the case with trivialis. However Walker is always distressing; 

 in the Ins. Brit. Dipt. IIB p. 274, in the analytical table, trivialis is 



17* 



