202 XEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Mus. Bill. 68, where first published], and figure Sa herewith shows 

 the form and structure of the larva of a species that lives in the 

 water of spring brooks [also copied from the above mentioned 

 bulletin] . 



Crane flies are much neglected by collectors of insects, for 

 at best they do not make a very attractive collection, and 

 good specimens are obtained only with more than the usual 

 care that is bestowed upon them. At their worst they are an 

 unsightly assortment of mostly legless fragments. Their legs 

 break off very easily, and rough handling will surely lose 

 them. But if specimens are taken *in a net \vith reasonable 

 care, killed in a cyanide bottle without handling, and pinned soon 

 after killing, there will be little difficulty in getting specimens with 

 six legs. It Avill not do to leave them lying around in the 

 cyanide bottle ; for the legs soon become detachable with the 

 slightest touch. If specimen's are to be spread, the spreading 

 should be done on a flat board drilled with small holes, and 

 the flies spread in inverted position with the pin heads stuck down 

 the holes. ^ Thus placed, both wings and legs are easily arranged 

 in any position desired. 



My own collecting of crane flies has been done chiefly about 

 water and with the aid of a trap lantern. I have obtained thus 

 mainly the smaller and less conspicuous species, nearly all of 

 which belong to the subfamily Limnobiinae. I have found 

 few new species, and of these I have described only those I 

 wished to refer to by name in the venation study which follows. 

 I have been on the lookout especially for such as would show 

 new venational peculiarities or variations. 



The fcAvness of the new forms encountered is evidence of 

 the thoroughness of the collecting done by Baron Osten Sacken 

 on his visits to West Point, Saratoga and Trenton Falls, while 

 he was in the diplomatic service at Washington. Trenton 

 Falls especially yielded him a large number of new species. 

 Old Forge lies near Trenton Falls, and furnishes kindred habi- 

 tats, and I was much pleased while collecting there to be 

 able to pick up most of Osten Sacken's species. 



In the following list are included the names of 104 species 

 of crane flies nearly all of which have now been recorded from 

 the State. The list is of course very incomplete, and it is hoped 



^ See my article, "A Simplified Spreading Board " in Psyche. 1902. 

 9 :427-28. 



