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True Flies — Part 4

9--Posterior margin of the wings encompassed by a vein, or the tibiae furnished with a pair of long, apical spurs . . . . . 10

Posterior margin of the wings not encompassed by a vein, tibiae never furnished with a pair of apical spurs, ocelli wanting, antennae of the male frequently feather-like or with a pencil of long hairs . . . . . Family Chironomidae.

10--Tibiae not furnished with apical spurs, ocelli usually wanting, wings mostly with only three veins of which the last one is forked; small, delicate flies; gall gnats . . . . . Family Cecidomyiidae.

Tibiae furnished with a pair of spurs at the apex of the inner side, ocelli present . . . . . Family Mycetophilidae.

Super-family BIBIONOIDEA Coq.

11--Ocelli absent, or the wings covered with a net-work of creased lines, or the discal cell present . . . . . 12

Ocelli present, wings never furnished with a discal cell nor with a net-work of creased lines, the front tibiae are sometimes greatly swollen, or in some cases are furnished with a circle of short spines . . . . . Family Bibionidae.

12--Vertex of head not furnished with ocelli; flies of small size, 13 Vertex of head furnished with ocelli, wings rather long and narrow . . . . . 14

13--Antennae of nearly an equal thickness, wings unusually broad, the veins on the posterior portion faint; the black-flies . . . . . Family Simuliidae.

Antenna very thick at its base, rapidly tapering to a style-like, jointed apical portion, the palpi are almost as long as the antennae; very rare flies . . . . . Family Orphnephilidae.

14--Wings furnished with a net-work of creased lines, discal cell never present . . . . . Family Blepharoceridae.

Wings never furnished with creased lines, discal cell present; rather large flies . . . . . Family Rhyphidae.

Sub-section BRACHYCERA Macq.

15--Empodium broad, similar to the two pulvilli, third joint of the antennae frequently annulated, body and legs not provided with stout bristles (Super-family Tabanoidea) . . . . . 16

Empodium narrow, bristle-like, or wanting, third joint of the antennae never annulated, body and legs frequently furnished with stout bristles . . . . . 21

Super-family TABANOIDEA Coq.

16--Calypteres very large, or the tibiae not furnished with terminal spurs . . . . . 17

Calypteres small or rudimentary, at least one pair of tibiae provided with distinct spurs at the apex of the inner side . . . . . Family Leptidae.

17--Third joint of the antennae distinctly annulated . . . . . 18

Third joint not annulated . . . . . 20

18--Discal cell lying in the middle of the width of the wing, posterior margin of the wing encompassed by a vein . . . . . 19

Discal cell lying between the middle of the width of the wing and the costa, posterior margin of the wing not encompassed by a vein . . . . . Family Stratiomyiidae.

19--Tibiae never furnished with terminal spurs, calypteres rudimentary; large flies from Middle and South America . . . . . Family Acanthomeridae.

Tibiae provided with terminal spurs on at least one pair, calypteres very large; horse-flies . . . . . Family Tabanidae.

20--Head small, much narrower than the very convex thorax, calypteres very large; hump-backed flies . . . . . Family Acroceridae.

Head at least as wide as the depressed thorax, calypteres very small; flies not at all hump-backed . . . . . Family Nemestrinidae.

21--When five posterior cells are present the fourth vein ends before the extreme apex of the wing; when less than five the anal cell is much longer than the second basal and the third vein ends below the tip of the wing, discal cell always present (Super-family Bombylioidea.) . . . . . 22

When five posterior cells are present the fourth vein ends below the extreme apex of the wing, when less than five the anal cell is wanting, or, if present, is shorter or scarcely longer than the second basal, or the third vein ends before the extreme apex of the wing, discal cell sometimes coalescing with one of the other cells . . . . . 24

Super-family BOMBYLIOIDEA Coq.

22--Wings provided with less than five posterior cells . . . . . 23

Wings provided with five posterior cells, fourth vein ending before the wing tip, antennal style much narrower than the third antennal joint; inhabit the southwest . . . . . Family Apioceridae.

23--Style of the antennae flat, much wider than the third antennal joint; large, elongate, nearly bare flies . . . . . Family Mydaidae.