WILLISTON: APIOCERlD^.. tO^ 



an." In the same year, Schiner, though recognizing the discrepant 

 characters, referred Apiocera to the Mydaidae. "Sie gleichen im 

 Habitus schon ganz den Asiliden, und bilden zu diesen hin ein ganz 

 natiirliches Bindeglied." (25) 



In 1877, Osten Sacken described the sixth or seventh known species, 

 from California (16) placing it under the Mydaidse, though with certain 

 reservations. The next reference to the subject was in 1883, when 

 Osten Sacken, who had meanwhile skilfully worked out his chaetotac- 

 tic system, brought arguments to show that Apiocera is an Asilid 

 (17, 18), and a member of the Asilinse. 



Brauer accepted Macquart's view that the genus should constitute a 

 family related to the Therevidae. "Ich halte die Apioceriden fiir 

 zunaechst verwandt mit The/-eva und Xestomyza, durch die Riissel- 

 bildung, Beine, und andere bereits friiher hervorgehobene Momente. 

 Bei Apiocera ist die ^nlichkeit mit den verwandten, aber durch ihre 

 Rijsselbildung einer anderen Linie der heterodactylen Orthorrhaphen 

 augehoerenden Asiliden ein verfiihrendes Irrlicht gewesen (2). 



Osten Sacken, more recently (21), admitted some doubt of its mem- 

 bership among the Asilidce, as follows : "Since I have shown that 

 Apiocera is not a Midaid, the only debatable question is whether it is 

 an Asilid or an aberrant form allied to the Asilidse." 



Mik, in several papers, has expressed the opinion strongly that the 

 genus should constitute a family : " Macquart war der Erste, welcher 

 den Apioceriden die richtige Stellung in Systeme angewiesen hat; er 

 brachte sie in die naechste Verwandtschaft zu den Thereviden" (12, 



15)- 



Coquillett has expressed himself in favor of the relationship to the 

 Therevidse (4). I have held the opinion that the genus represents a 

 family most nearly related to the Mydaidae and the Asilidse, and have 

 so defined it {^^2, ^t^^. Finally, Osten Sacken, after learning more of 

 Rhaphiomidas, has so far receded from his first position as to admit 

 the subfamily "Apiocerina" under the Asilidae (23). 



The question then is : Should Apiocera and R/iaphio?nidas'-^- be located 

 under the Mydaidae, following Schiner; under the Asilidae, following 

 Osten Sacken; or regarded as an independent family, in accordance 

 with Macquart's, Brauer's, Mik's, Coquillett's, or my own views? 



As regards the relationship to the Therevidae, I accept Osten 

 Sacken's argument; and yet I believe the relationship is as great to 

 that family as to the Asilidae. As is well known, structural differences 

 in the wings are, almost always, of more importance the nearer they 



* Since this was written, Coquillett has published (Canadian Entomologist, vol. xxlv, 

 p. 314, Dec, 1892) a new genus, Apomidax, allied to Rhaphiomidas, but differing in the open 

 anal cell. 



