THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[August 



I took particular notice of the manner in which they came up. I saw 

 that all that passed on the side from which the odour, if there were one^ 

 would be carried, instantly arrested their onward flight and began to 

 approach, in what was evidently a searching manner, the spot where 

 the attraction arose. All new comers flew up to the paired couple, 

 and hovered about them for a while, then sought a resting place. 

 There must have been two hundred of them in all, and it was really 

 a very pretty sight. I was quite satisfied that an odour had 

 emanated from the $ and that it remained attractive though she had 

 already found a mate. 



THE DIPTERA OF DORSETSHIRE. 



BY C. W. DALE, F.E.S. 



[Contimted from page 67.) 



Family — Dixid.^;. 



This family consists but of a single genus, which appear to be a 

 sort of connecting link between the Mycetophilidae and Tipulidae. 

 The flies are found throughout the year, and in the winter months 

 seek shelter in hayricks and amongst ivy, ferns, moss, &c. The 

 name Dixa is descriptive of the two bifurcate nervures of the wings, 

 which distinguish it from its congener. This family like many 

 genera of the Tipulidae, is very much confined to northern latitude. 

 The larvae inhabit fungi. The flies generally appear in the evening 

 and are found in meadows and damp woods. There are fifteen 

 species found in Europe. 



76. Dixa cestivalis, Meig. Generally distributed. 



77. D. aprilina, Meig. Generally distributed. 



78. D. maculata, Meig. Generally distributed. 



79. D. nebiUosa, Meig. Generally distributed. 



Family Tipulid^. 



This is one of the most interesting families of the Diptera, and 

 contains a number of species, mostly of large size-; indeed one species, 

 Tipula giganten is the largest British species of the order, for 

 although, not so robust as Tahanus hovimis or Asilus crabro inform is, 

 it beats them in expanse of wings and legs. It is this expanse of 

 legs which has got for them the English name of Crane-flies or Daddy 

 Long-legs. The legs are moreover extremely brittle and come off at 

 the slightest touch, so that it is best to gum them, irrespective of size, 

 on cards. The species of the typical genus Tipula are found in damp 

 meadows in vast numbers, especially in autumn, the larva feeding 



