BY FREDERICK A. A. SKUSE. 25 



Hah. — Found, in theii' preparatory states, in the ground, or in 

 dung ; perfect insects often with a sluggish flight ; common on 

 flowers. 



Fam. 6, — blepharocerid.e. Chars. Small ; antennje long and 

 slender ; eyes contiguous or non-contiguous, alike in both sexes ; 

 ocelli three; legs long; coxte short; posterior tibite generally with 

 strong spurs; wings broad and long, in venation approaching the 

 Mycetophilidae. 



Hab. — Very little is known about the habits of these species ; 

 a Brazilian example, according to Dr. Miiller, exhibits a strange 

 form of female dimorphism. The male lives on flowers, so also 

 does one of the females ; but the other, like the female mosquito, 

 is provided with a long proboscis, and sucks the blood of animals. 



Fam. 7. — culicid;e (Mosquitoes). Chars. Very slender, moder- 

 ately sized ; antennae long and slender; proboscis in the female 

 containing all the parts found in any Dipterous insect ; ocelli 

 none ; thorax stout ; legs long and slender ; wings slender ; 

 veins more than six in number in some. 



Hah. — Eggs deposited in water ; larvae found abundantly, 

 swimming with a peculiar jerking motion in ponds and ditches ; 

 perfect insect abundant in the neighbourhood of water. It is 

 only the females that feast upon the blood of animals ; the males 

 feed only on vegetables ; they are very fond of the honey of 

 flowers, to which also the females are attracted. 



Fam. 8. — ciiiRONOMiDiG (Midges). Chars. Small ; antennre 

 slender, beautifully adorned with hairs ; proboscis fleshy ; ocelli 

 obsolete ; abdomen and legs long and slender ; wings slender, the 

 veins very similar to those of the gnats. 



Ilah. — The larvee and pupae of some are aquatic ; some others 

 live in dung or under bark ; perfect insect common in the 

 neighbourhood of water ; some, like the Culicida^, liave the ])ower 

 of inflicting wounds in animals. 



Fam, 9. — OHPiiNKPHiLiD.f:. Only a single genus. Char.H. Small 

 insecta ; antenna short ; ocelli absent ; proboscis little projecting ; 



