SYMPLECTA. 171 



282). Since then, it has been retained by all the subsequent 

 authors. Its name (from avv, with, and Ttaixw, to connect) alludes, 

 I suppose, to the supernumerary cross-vein of S. punctipennis. 

 A little earlier than Meigen, in 1825, St. Fargeau (Encycl. 

 Method. Ins. Yol. X, p. 585) proposed to call this genus Helobia. 

 Meigen's name, as that given by the monographer of the order 

 and consecrated by a long usage, ought not to be superseded. 



Three European species are known ; one of them, which has a 

 supernumerary cross- vein in the first submarginal cell, occurs also 

 in America (S. punctipennis). In this species it is the posterior 

 branch of the fourth longitudinal vein which is forked ; in the 

 two other species (S. similis and stictica) it is the anterior one ; 

 this is indicated in each case by the shape of the discal cell. 

 Like Trimicra, the three species of Symplecta have the great 

 cross-vein anterior to the inner end of the discal cell, and rather 

 oblique. The supposed new genus and species Idioneura ma- 

 croptera Philippi (Verh. Zool. Bot. Gesellsch. 18G5, p. 615, Tab. 

 XXIII, fig. 4), is undoubtedly Symplecta, and not at all unlikely 

 the same S. punctipennis M. 



Description of the species. 



1. S. punctipennis 0. S. % and J . — Cinerea, thoracis vittis tribus 

 fuscis ; alis albicantibus, venis transversis obscure nebulosis ; venula 

 transversa supernumeraria in cellula marginali secunda. 



Gray, thorax with three brown stripes, wings whitish, cross-veins clouded ; 

 a supernumerary cross-vein in the second marginal cell. Long. corp. 

 0.23—0.25. 



Syn. Limnobia punctipennis Meig. Eur. Zw. Ins. I, p. 147; Tab. V, fig. 7. 

 Symplecta punctipennis Meig. 1. c. VI, p. 283. 



Symplecta punctipennis 0. Sacken, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil. 1859, p. 228. 

 Symplecta cana Walk. List, etc. I, p. 48. 



Head gray, antennae and palpi black ; thorax gray, hoary on 

 the pleurae ; three distinct brown stripes above ; the lateral ones 

 cross the transverse suture ; knob of the halteres infuscated ; feet 

 brown; abdomen gray, darker above; wings (Tab. I, fig. 20) with 

 a whitish tinge ; a supernumerary cross-vein about the middle of 

 the first submarginal cell ; the posterior branch of the fourth 

 longitudinal vein is forked, and hence, the inner end of the third 

 posterior cell is nearer the basis of the wiDg than the inner end 



