BY FREDERICK A. A, SKUSB. 659 



Classification of the SciAuiDiE. 



The Sciaridse* form the second family of the Nematoceroiis 

 Diptera, and at present comprise seven genera, Sciara, Meig.; 

 Trichosia, Winn.; Cratyna,Wuin.; Gorynoptera^'Wm.n.; Bradysia, 

 Winn.; E'pidapus, Hal.; and Zygoneura, Meig.; including a large 

 number of species, which in their form and colour vary but little 

 from a common character ; indeed, all bu.t a few known species 

 are absorbed by the typical genus Sciara. 



The genus Sciara was founded by Meigen in Illiger's Magazine, 

 (II., p. 263, No. 12). Shortly afterwards Latreille gave this genus 

 the name of Molohrus, and although Meigen's name, from its 

 priority, is the rightly accepted one, Westwood, as late as 1840 

 (Mod. Class. Ins. II.) retains Molohrus and discards Sciara as a 

 synonym. 



During the year 18-30, Meigen (Syst. Beschr. VI. Suppl.) 

 described several additional European species of Sciara, which he 

 primarily classified according to a very limited estimation of the 

 venation in the wings, while the ultimate separation of the species 

 was entirely restricted to the consideration of coloration. In this 

 imperfect method of dealing with such peculiarly approximate 

 and persistent forms, Meigen was more or less followed by other 

 authors, and as an inevitable consequence, the determination of 

 the species described by these authors, is not only a matter 

 fraught with great difficulty and uncertainty, but in many cases 

 their identification is altogether impossible. 



Before 1867, the genera Sciara, Upidajjus, and Zygonew'a 

 oscillated in an irregular manner between two distinct families, 

 the Cecidomyidse and the Mycetophilidje, their affinities being 

 regarded with such uncertainty by Dipterologists. Meigen (Syst. 

 Beschr. T., XXXVI.) placed Sciara in a tribe by itself which he 

 designated Tipulariaj lugubri, and he located this tribe between 



* From a-Kiapos, shaded. 

 43 



