The Two-winged Flies 
3*9 
mouth side faces up although the rest of the body has its ventral aspect facing 
down. This larva belongs to one of the midge-like flies of the genus Dixa 
(Fig. 440), which is the only genus in the family Dixidae, represented by about 
a dozen North American species. The winged flies (Fig. 442) are found in 
moist places, densely grown over with bushes or rank herbage, in woods. 
Although resembling mosquitoes and 
Chironomid midges in general appear¬ 
ance, they can be readily distinguished 
from them by the arrangement of 
the wing-veins (Fig. 444). 
An interesting small group of 
readily recognizable flies is the 
family Psychodidas, or “ moth-fly ” 
family. The vernacular name comes 
from the slight resemblance to minute 
moths shown by these flies because 
of the hairy broad wings, which are 
held over the back when the fly is at 
rest in the roof-like manner of the 
moths (Fig. 445). The largest of these 
flies are only about one-sixth of an 
inch long, and are rarely distinguished 
except by careful observers. I have f 
dens near the seashore in California, 
Fig. 442. 
Fig. 441.—Pupa of Dixa sp. (Much en¬ 
larged.) 
Fig. 442 .—Dixa sp. (Much enlarged.) 
ound them especially common in gar- 
and also in the overhanging foliage 
Fig. 443.—Mouth-parts of Dixa sp., female. l.ep. y labrum-epipharynx; md., mandible; 
mx., maxilla; mx.l., maxillary lobe; mx.p., maxillary palpus; li., labium; pg., para- 
glossa; gl., glossa; hyp., hypopharynx. 
of trees and shrubs bordering the swift little mountain streams of the Coast 
Range. In one of these streams I was fortunate enough to find the 
