REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 



389 



Southwick: in Insect Life, vii, 1894, p. 136 (the injurious sap-fly, probably a 

 species of Sciara). 



Coquillett: in Insect Life, vii, 1894, pp. 406-408, fig. 48 (habits, description 



of S. tritici n. sp., all stages illustrated). 

 Comstocks: Man. Stud. Ins., 1895, p. 443 (S. mali and army-worm). 



The genus Sciara is a member of the family of Mycetophilidai or 

 u fungus gnats," and is closely allied to the well-known Cecidomyid'K 

 in appearance and in habits. Indeed the two families can not be 

 separated by any clear lines of demarcation, and the true position to be 

 held by the genus Zygoneura is still in question among dipterologists. 

 Of the eight sub-families into which the Jlycetophilid": have been 

 divided by late writers, the Sciarina are numerous in species, both in 

 this country and in Europe, — 175 species having been described by 

 Winnertz in his "Monograph of the Sciarina." 



The Limited Study Given to Sciara in America. 



From the resemblance that they bear to one another — the species 

 having often been separated by little beyond their wing or antennal 

 coloration — so little critical study has been given them by our entomol- 

 ogists that published descriptions will hardly permit positive identifica- 

 tion of any of the number. For this reason, the little that has been 

 observed of the habits and life-histories of our North American forms 

 can not be positively referred to any one named species. It is doubtful 

 if, of the twenty-six species of Sciara listed in the Osten Sacken Cata- 

 logue of the Diptera of Xortli America a half dozen could be positively 

 identified — their descriptions being so brief and general, — their types 

 possibly all lost, and only two of the number (Loew's species — possible 

 types) having representation in the Museum of Comparative Zoology 

 at Cambridge. In marked contrast with this apparent lack of study of 

 Sciara stands the fact that of the closely allied genus of Mycetophila — 

 of the eighteen X. A. species listed, all but three (Say's species) have 

 place in the Cambridge Collection, where comparison for identification 

 can be made. 



Larval habits of Sciara. 

 The habitat of Sciara is quite varied. Several of them are known to 

 live in their larval stage in decaying vegetable matter of various kinds 

 and in fungus growths. The}* have been reared in vegetable mold; 

 beneath the bark of trees; in decayed wood and in the roots of decay- 

 ing trees; in putrid potatoes, turnips and other vegetables; in excava- 

 tions in potatoes and in connection with " the scab " thereon ; in flower, 

 pots in rooms; in manure beds; as guest flies in apples and grapes in 



