In this group are placed, in order, the fol lowing important families: Tipulitier (crane flies), Culicide (mosquitoes), Cecidoomyiide (tFall-gnats), Mycetophilide (fungus-gnats), Sunuitide (black-flies), Leptitice (snipe-flies), Stratiomyiide (soldier-flies), Tabanide (horse flies), Bombyliida' (bee-les), Asilide (robber- flies) Syrphide (syrphus-flies), astride (bot Tachinide (tachina-flies), Sarcophagide (flesh-flies), Itfyscide (house-flies), Anthom yitde (fruit-flies), Trypetide (fruit-flies), Ephydride (edible salt-water flies), and Os cinide (grass-stem flies) ;, besides various less important ones.
Sub-order Eproboscidea.— Antenna usu-.. ally inconspicuous, commonly inserted near the middle of the sides of the face and composed of from one to three joints, the apex furnished with a style or bearing several long bristly hairs, proboscis never furnished with terminal. lips, body integument tough and leathery,,legs on one side of the body usually widely• sePa rated from those on the other side, wings, when present, never furnished with a cliscal cell; adults pupiparous, living externally upon. Main
ma's, birds or honey-bees.
This second sub-order comprises only two families the parasitic bird-ticks (Hippobos- , cide) and the bat-ticks (Nycteribidtide), which owe their vernacular names, ,to their resem blance to true ticks in appearance. and habits.
Bibliography.-- L O. Howard's • 'Insect Book) (New York 1901) contains the most fully illustrated general account of the flies, and also a large list of books on the subject,' especially those relating 'to systematic descrip- , tion. S. W. Williston has an excellent it us trated account in The Standard Natural His tory) (Vol. II). His 'Manual of American Diptera' (New Haven 1896) ;• ConStock's 'Manual for the Study of Insects' N. Y., 1895) ; Packard's 'Kali I-lours with In-.. sects) and 'Text-Book of Entomology); and Miall's 'Natural History of Aquatic insects) , (London 1895); and Ross's 'The Reduction of Domestic Flies' (Philadelphia 1913), may consulted with profit.