288 C R. Osten Sacken: 



had no decided opinion about the place of Apiocera, but preferred 

 the Midaidae, ,,until its true place be found'- (1. c. p. 22). — I do 

 not know whethcr he ever had an opportunity to examine a specimen, 

 or merely based his opinion on the descriptions. 



Dr. Philipp!, in establishing the genus Anyperms, was led by a 

 correct instinct in placing it among the Asilidae (Verh. Z. B. Ges. 1865.) 



Dr. Gerstaecker, in his paper on Midaidae (Stett. Ent. Z, 1868) 

 acknowledges the coi'ncidences between Apiocera and that family. but 

 very properly observes that the differences ought to have raore weight 

 than the resemblances. „These differences consist, not only in the 

 presence of three distinct ocelli, in the large, foliaceous, spooushaped 

 palpi, in the almost obliterated face, and in the short antennae, ending 

 in a slender style, but above all in the shape of the legs, which belong 

 to quite a different type of structure, and in their weak developmont, 

 remind one very much of those of the Bombylidae. To determine the 

 systematic position of this genus must be left to some future time, when 

 its near relatives may perhaps be discovered ; at present it cannot be 

 placed satisfactorily in any of the known families, neither among the 

 Midaidae, nor elsewhere." 



Dr. Schiner, Novara p, 152, sees in Apiocera a natural Unk („ein 

 ganz natürliches Bindeglied") between Midaidae and Asilidae, but in- 

 sists upon the importance of the venation in the Classification of the 

 Diptera, and for this reason is very decided in favor of putting 

 Apiocera among the Midaidae. Anypenus he unites with Apiocera. 



Dr. Brauer (Charakteristik der mit Scenopinus verwandten Dipteren- 

 Familien, 1882) sees in Apiocera and Anypenus a transition from the 

 Midaidae to the Therevidae, rather than to the Asilidae (,,mir scheinen 

 letztere Formen einen Uebergang zu den Thereviden anzudeuten, deren 

 zarte Beine sie zeigen," 1. c. p. 48); the same relationship is indicated 

 in the grouping on p. 51 and 52. In this respect, Dr. Brauer repro- 

 duces Macquart's view. He also follows Macquart in establishing a 

 separate family: Apiocerina, for the two genera. 



Until recently I had no independent opinion about the forms in 

 question, and followed the prevailing view in placing them, at least 

 temporarily, among the Midaidae (see my Western Diptera and my 

 Catal. N. Am. Dipt. 1878). It is only since I began to pay more 

 attention to chaetotactic characters, that my eyes were opened to te 

 fact that Apiocera is an Asilid. 



The Midaidae have no cephalic and thoracic macro- 

 chaetae at all, which is very remarkable considering their assumed 

 relationship to the Asilidae. Apiocera is provided with such macrochaetae. 



