82 THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[April 



THE DIPTERA OF DORSETSHIRE. 



BY C. W. DALE. 



(Coiitiiiuecl from page 6). 



NEMOCERA. 

 Family — Mycetophilid.^. 



This family is composed of extremely active insects, capable of 

 leaping by means 'f their long hind legs. The body is generally 

 compound, the cox^ long, and the tips of the tibiae armed with spurs 

 in a similar manner to the Pulicidae, and their movements are short, 

 skipping, and abrupt. The larvae of most species feed on Fungi or 

 Boleti, and spin silken webs, within which they become pupae. They 

 are particularly found in damp situations, amongst various plants, 

 dead leaves, and moss, in which many species hibernate, and are 

 frequently found in the windows of our dwelling^. 



Many of the family posseas very prettily marked wings, and some 

 are exceedingly rare I beg to call particular attention to three 

 species — Leia elegans, Etipheina pictipennis, and Leptomovphus Walkeri. 

 Leia cvassicovnis and Glaphyroptem winthemii are also rarities. Stephens, 

 in his " Illustrations of British Entomology," has figured two species, 

 Prymosia zonata and Glapliyropteva oviiata ; which figures and names 

 have been ignored by all subsequent writers. Amongst the smaller 

 species and more obscure genera much work remains to be done. 

 The following are the Dorsetshire species, all of which have occurred 

 in the parish of Glanvilles Wootton : — 



1. MyceptopiLa lineola, Meig. Generally distributed. 



2. M. piinclata, Meig. Generally distributed. 



3. M. himaculata, Fab. Generally distributed. 



4. M. lutescens, Zett. Larger than last, and rare. 



5. M. si gnat a, Meig. Generally distributed. 



6. M. cingiiUun^ Meig. Larger than last, and rare. 



7. Zygouiia notata, Stan. Beaten from ivy. 



8. Z. pictipennis, Staeg. Rare. Glanvilles Wootton. 



9. Sccptonia nigra, Meig. Common in moss. 



10. Ryinosia zoned a, Steph. Common in windows and amongst ivy. 

 It is figured by Stephens in his " Illustrations of British Entomology;" 

 but it is probably the same as M. fasciata, Meig. 



11. R. fenestmlis, Meig. Common in windows and amongst ivy. 



