240 Forty-fourth Report on the State Museum 



number of tight glass-covered boxes of as large a size as could be 

 conveniently obtained, be distributed over the lawn, and set in close 

 contact at the bottom with the soil, after driving away whatever of 

 insect life might have previously settled on the grass. Arrangements 

 for so doing were made, but heavy rains and cold weather ensued, 

 and continued until too late to give any success. 



Do Both Sexes Hibernate P 



The concluding line appended to Baron Osten Sacken's description 

 of this species (4th Keport, page 71), which reads: "I have about 

 thirty unpinned specimens before me; they seem to be all females," 

 suggests the possibility that, as in some other of the orders, so in this 

 species, it is only the female that lives through the winter. The 

 above specimens, which had been sent by me to Baron Osten Sacken, 

 were selected indiscriminately from a large number that had been 

 taken in spring. 



A necessarily hurried examination of a few of a small sending frqm 

 Ausable Forks this summer, showed no distinguishable sexual fea- 

 tures, nor were eggs found present in those that were opened. The 

 search for them, however, was not of sufficient thoroughness to give 

 assurance of their absence at the time. 



Inquiring of my correspondent if any observations made showed 

 the presence of the two sexes, answer was returned that in looking 

 through the window pane as the flies were resting on its opposite 

 side, a marked difference in shape was noticeable. Some were slim, 

 and longer in the body than others, while in some the body was 

 nearly round, rather short,' and the end of the abdomen very much 

 distended and nearly white. 



The above described conspicuous difference in the shape of the 

 abdomen, seen under the most favorable circumstances possible, seems 

 to indicate, without much doubt, the presence of both sexes. 



General Features of the Fly. 



It would be strange indeed if other localities for this insect v^ere 

 not discovered. It should be easily recognized from its peculiar 

 habits, as given — unlike those of any other fly known, and from 

 the detailed accompanying drawings. Characteristic features by 

 which it may also be known, are, its small size, only about one-tenth 

 of an inch long; a somewhat flattened head, broader than the thorax; 

 the thorax marked by three black stripes, of which the two outer 

 ones are narrower and elongate wedge-shaped; two black triangular 

 spots beneath, between the middle pair of legs; a dark brown abdo- 



