908 CHARLES PauL ALEXANDER 
erane-fly fauna, appearing on the wing i: March. It is seen most 
commonly in spring and autumn, and is less numerous in July. It is 
presumably double-brooded. 
Genus Erioptera Meigen 
1800 Polymeda Meig. Nouv. Class. Mouch., p. 14 (nomen nudum). 
1803 Erioptera Meig. Illiger’s Mag., vol. 2, p. 262. 
1856 Chemalida Rond. Prodromus, vol. 1, D. 180. 
1856 Limnaea Rond. © Prodromus, vol. 1, p. 181. 
1861 Limnoica Rond. Prodromus, vol. 4, Corrigenda, p. 11. 
The rather extensive genus Erioptera includes about ninety described 
species, most numerous in the Northern Hemisphere. The immature 
stages of the known species are spent in damp earth. The local species 
are distributed in five subgenera, separated by the following key: 
1. 
i) 
te 
Second ana! vein arcuated so that cell {st A is as broad at the middle as, or broader than, 
at the margin; cross-vein m absent, cell 1st M2 opening into cell M2..... Erioptera Meig. 
Anal veins divergent, celi {st A being broadest at the margin; cell 1st M2 closed, if open 
the outer deflection of M; lacking, cell ist M2 opening into cell M; (except = 
BEimpeda) fui is. aie an ceed ee ea) nk ys Nee Boies Se eee 
. Fork of cell R2 short, about as long as its petiole (R:+3); Sc: short........ Empeda O. ¢ 
Fork of cell R2 long, at least four times as long as its petiole (R:+;); Sc: longer......... 3 
. Cell 1st Mz open, the outer deflection of M; atrophied; if closed, the cross-vein m and the 
deflection’ of Mz about onvavline: 5. #25. - 22525562) ae oe eee Mesocyphona O. 8. 
Cell: dst Me closediiic. ie aoe PR OR oo ee 9 a ee 4 
. A spur from the outer deflection of M3; jutting into cell 1st Mo.......... Hoplolabis O. 8. 
Nojspur from) iM; jutting mto cellist Mee. s.2hs. 2) . ee e Acyphona O. 8. 
The following key divides the local species of Erioptera: 
. Cell ist M2 open by the atrophy of the ‘outer deflection of M;. (Subgenus 
Mesocyphonai) cs 2253 e853 i oe ows 0 ko 2 
Cell {st M2 closed; if open, it is by the atrophy of the medial cross-vein.............. 4 
. Wings pale gray, with small brown dots at the tips of the veins along the margins. [Proc. 
Acad. Nat: Sci. Phila. p. 227. 1859:| (Plate XX XV, 79:).-2. eee E. parva O. 8. 
Wings grayish or brown, with white dots and spots...................2+ss-0--+--::: 3 
. Wings with abundant white dots in all the cells; each femur with two brown rings. 
[Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., vol. 3, p. 17. 1823.] (Plate XXXV, 77.) 
E. caloptera Say 
Wings with about twenty large spots that are confined to the region of the veins; each 
femur with a single brown ring before the tip. [Can. Ent., vol. 50, p. 383-384. 1918.] 
(Rlate XOXO 788) ae eg Oe ea oe Ei ee E. needhami Alex. 
. Cell {st M2 open by the atrophy of m; second anal vein arcuated, before its tip bent 
strongly toward the first so that cell {st A at its middle is about as broad as or broader 
than at the margin. (Subgenus Erioptera.) (See also E. [Empeda] stigmatica, below.) 3 
Cell: dst’) Me closed: anal ves divergent: 222.0 5.1.5.2) eee ee 
. Knobs of the halteres dark brown. [Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 226. an 
_ (Plate XXXV, 72.) be Ere OEE RE RN IAs Sid oo E. septemtrionis O. 8. 
