64 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. IV, No. 3 , 
tried for procuring a supply of fine specimens of the small Diptera 
common in marshes. 
The best of results in collecting Eph}-drids may be obtained by 
sweeping grasses in low ground in the vicinity of water, or along 
the margin of streams, but specimens procured in this way are 
apt to be teneral and not so desirable as those taken from flowers. 
Dichaeta Meigen. 
There are three descriped North American species in this 
genus. Two of them, caudata and brevicauda, are distinguished 
from species of Notiphila by the uniform dark color of the body, 
but not .so with furcata which has the abdomen distinctlj- bicol- 
ored. The males of all the species are characterized b}' the 
elongated bristles at the tip of the abdomen. The following key 
is offered for separating the .species of the genus : 
1. .■\bdomen uniformly dark, nearly black in color 2. 
Abdomen bicolorous furcata Coq. 
2. Last segment of male abdomen distinctly prolonged 
into a conical point caudata Fallen. 
Last segment of male abdomen not noticeably pro- 
longed brevicauda Loew. 
Notiphila Fallen. 
This genus is represented in Ohio by a number of species. N. 
unicolor Loew is probably the most abundant species of insect 
to be found at Sandusky during a part of the summer. The eggs 
of this species are deposited on various leaves over the water, and 
so abundant are they at times that large areas of wild rice and 
other plants are colored white by them. Oviposition seems to 
take place mostly in the evening and in egg-laying season the 
flies collect on the plants by thousands, so that one in a row-boat 
at dusk may see water plants almost entirel)’ covered by them. 
The adults are most abundant in July. When the eggs hatch the 
larvae drop into the water and sink to the bottom. 
Psilopa fulvipennis n. .sp. 
Shining black or violaceous. Antennea red, except the third segment, 
which is partially fuscus, thorax and abdomen dec]) .shining black with a 
violaceous tinge, legs black with the exception of the knees, apexes of the 
tibiae, and the tarsi, which are red. Wings uniformh- browni.sh yellow all 
over, knob of halteres yellow. Length slightly under 2.5 millimeters. 
Habitat: Three specimens procured at Cameron, Louisiana, 
August 20. Taken by sweeping from grasses growing in low 
ground. 
The uniform brownish 5’ellow wings, together with the shining 
black thorax and abdomen characterize this species. 
