OF WASHINGTON. 27 



ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE CORYDALIN^E, WITH 

 DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES. 



[Neuroptera, Sialidse.] 

 By NATHAN BANKS. 



While examining the new species described below I became 

 interested in some points of venation which distinguished it 

 from our common species of Chanliodes. This led to an in- 

 vestigation of all the forms available, with the result of finding 

 several new characters for the distinction of the various genera. 



Neohermes humeralis, n. sp. 



Jet black ; head from middle of eyes back to prothorax bright" red- 

 dish, except a blackish spot around ocelli ; extreme base of wings 

 bright yellowish, rest of wings blackish, the costal area to pterostigma 

 paler; venation black; no other markings. Head rather long and 

 narrow; antennae at base but little if any farther apart than are the 

 posterior ocelli, slightly serrate beneath in male; posterior ocelli fully 

 three times their diameter apart; vertex with about three or four elon- 

 gate elevated areas each side; pronotum distinctly longer than broad, 

 sides parallel. Wings moderately slender; cells of costal area mostly 

 longer on the subcosta than broad ; first fork of cubitus starting away at 

 a very acute angle; anal vein with two branches, both strongly genicu- 

 late, the two anal cells subequal in length, the lower giving off two 

 veins, the upper without any; no cross-vein between first branch of anal 

 vein and last branch from anal cell. 



Expanse, 76 mm. 



Two specimens from Santiago, Chile (M. J. Rivera). Pro- 

 fessor Rivera kindly gave me also two specimens of Chaidiodes 

 cinerascens Blanchard. 



A comparison of these with our United States species has 

 led me to propose other characters than those now in use for 

 the separation of the various genera allied to Chauliodes 

 and Corydalis. One of the principal distinctions formerly in 

 use was the comparative abundance of cross-veins in the wings ; 

 this was scarcely usable, as there is a great amount of variation 

 in this matter. The presence of the tooth on the side of the 

 head behind the eyes is more easily used, yet one can hardly 

 consider it a character of great value. The venation of the 

 various genera is extremely similar, except in the anal region. 

 In most of the forms the anal vein forks but once, but in these 

 two Chilean species, in several of our native species, and in 

 those species placed by Doctor van der Weele in the genera 



