896 CHARLES PauL ALEXANDER 
Limnobia is a rather small genus of usually handsome flies, including 
about thirty-five described species. The species are most numerous in| 
Europe and North America, but a very few range into the tropics of! 
both hemispheres. Most of the crane-flies described as species of Limnobia 
before the partition of the genus, do not belong here at all. 
The haunts of the immature stages, so far as known, include a con- 
siderable range of habitats, from possibly aquatic forms (L. parietina) 
to those living in moist earth near streams (L. fallax and probably L. 
solitaria), in decaying vegetable matter (L. indigena, according to Greene), 
in decaying leaves (L. nigropunctata, L. flavipes, L. tripunctata), in rotten 
wood (L. cinctipes, L. annulus, L. dumetorum, and others), and in fungi 
(L. triocellata, L. xanthoptera, and often L. cinctipes and L. annulus). 
The local species of Limnobia may be separated according to the fol- 
lowing key: | 
1) Cross-vein*7 atithe tipiot Rie eo ae Se OI Sa 2 
Cross-vein' 7 removed fromthe tip of Rio). 0 ee eee eee ee a 
2: Knobof the halteres black.) 0) a3 PT Ae GS o's og ae MaRS 3 
Knob of the halteres pale'at the apex: ... 0... 2... d. 0. 52 J. oe ee ee 6 
3. Femora yellow, the extreme tips narrowly dark brown; wings yellowish, with three eye- 
like markings. [Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 216. 1859.] (Plate XXXII, 34.) 
L. triocellata O. 8. 
Femora with one or more dark brown rings before the dark tips; wings without an ocellate’ 
patterns e285 6 eae die So OR EN eS Re a 4 
4, Wings with four large dark brown spots in cell R that are about equidistantly spaced. 
[Proc., Acad. Nat. ‘Sci. Phila:, p. 289).91S6ls]) 0... ee ee L. hudsonica O. 8. 
Wings not with four large brown equidistant spots in cell R..............-.-0------ 5 
5. Small, wing of female about 9.5 mm.; wings narrow, with a distinct dark brown pattern; 
spots in cell R small, clear-cut, dark brown. [Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 34, 
pe 12501909); \(Rlate XexexRM 82 L. fallax Johns. 
Larger, wing of female about 11 mm.; wings broader, with the pattern paler brown, more 
diffused; spots in cell R larger, often poorly defined and sometimes confluent, medium 
brown. [Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 215, pl. 3, fig. 6. 1859.] (Plate XXXII, 31.) 
L. solitaria O. 8:7 
6. Femora with three brown bands. [Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 214. 1859.] | 
L. immatura O. 8. 
Femora with two brown bands. [Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. 3, p. 21. 1823.]) 
CREO, @, ©, 4 ll FO.) ea cue ie een Ne RSM eNAIA OA Hea asians 55 o.0.0 0.0 06 L. cinctipes Say 
7. Wings with brown clouds and seams...........02. 00 e ete eee eet eee 8 
Wings nearly clear, at most with three or four small brown dots along the cosa 
MATGUN) Siete ie ee Uo Menno ak fei eiaclns oka SofUe pe Sti aot ee oe ee aces 
8. Large species, wing 15 mm.; wing apex very blunt; all the cells clouded and marbled 
medially with gray and brown. [Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 289. 1861.] (Plate 
D.D.@.@ RSS iN PURI ors eri Hain ay miu RAMEE Mia Gs RISK) G10 5950 0 0 © L. parietina O. 8. 
Small species, wing under 12 mm.; wing apex normal; apical cell with the markings con- 
fined to the region near the veins. [Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 215, pl. 3, fig. 3. 
18595]- (PlatepNex@chies 333) atic cei ciiantocicicl icine seine L. indigena O. 8. 
