THE CRANE-FLIES oF New York — Part II 713 
closely allied Dolichopeza, on the contrary, has the four anterior legs 
on the support, the hind legs dangling, the wings divaricate. Many of 
these species — as Oropeza, Dolichopeza, Dicranomyia badia, and exotic 
species of the genera Thrypticomyia and Trentepohlia — habitually rest 
/on spider webs (page 982; also, Knab, 1912). During heavy rains, crane- 
| flies rest on the lower side of the broad leaves of deciduous trees or hide 
beneath loose flakes of bark. 
Feeding.— The adult flies feed but little, the majority of the species 
'whose habits are at all known merely lapping nectar from open flowers. 
Knuth (1909:579) and Wahlgren (1917) record the plants frequented by 
a number of European Tipulinae as well as by Ptychoptera. These species 
are found on Umbelliferae (Aegopodium, Anthriscus, Heracleum, Carum, 
Anethum, and other genera), on Rosaceae (Spiraea, Rubus, and other 
genera), and on a few other plants. A few of the local Limnobiinae 
have the rostrum very greatly elongated —an obvious adaptation for 
sucking the nectar from tubular flowers. The species of Geranomyia 
feed cn various composite, umbelliferous, and lauraceous flowers. 
Toxorhina frequents composite, rhamnaceous, apocynaceous, and erica- 
ceous plants. The exact plants frequented are discussed under the 
descriptions of the respective genera. 
Oviposition.— The females lay their eggs in the habitat frequented by 
the larvae. In the case of aquatic forms—as Antocha, Hexatoma, 
Eriocera, and other genera — the eggs are deposited in dipping down to 
the water surface, one or more eggs being deposited at each descent. 
Forms that live in mud or moist earth lay their eggs in these situations. 
Many species with acute ovipositors insert the eggs carefully into the soil 
or other substance. The oviposition of Limnophila (Eutonia) alleni as 
noted by the writer may be regarded as typical of this class of species: 
Observations made at Gloversville, New York, June 28, 1916. A female was noted 
Ovipositing in low, wet spots along a small woodland stream. She flew akout slowly and 
silently, just skimming the ground, until a place suitable for egg-laying was found. She 
finally chose a much-decayed log and the eggs were driven home securely by the acicular 
tergal valves of the ovipositor. Much effort is expended to place the eggs firmly and the 
rate of oviposition is not more than eight or ten a minute, the female often pausing to rest 
for several seconds. While thus engaged, the fly is entirely unconcerned with other agencics 
and may be picked up by hand. 
The females of most crane-flies usually live but a short time after egg- 
laying is completed. Indeed, the entire duration of life of the adult 
erane-flies is probably but a few weeks at the most. 
