246 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [June, 'll 



A New Species of Gerris (Hemip.). 



By the late G. W. KIRKALDY, F. E. S.* 



Garris buenoi n. sp. 



Belongs to sub-genus Gerris. Middle tarsi moderately slender with 

 the first segment three times as long as the second; hind tibiae and 

 tarsi together scarcely as long as their femur. 



Sternites in the male flattened, not carinate, the seventh doubly 

 emarginate at the apical margin, the middle (ad) emargination broad 

 and somewhat roundedly angular; not produced into a spine at the 

 angles of the sternite; eighth sternite in the female transverse. Meta- 

 sternal tubercle small, black ; pronotum not suffused on the disc with 

 reddish or yellowish but with the fore lobe with a marginal flavescent 

 line. Length, males, macropterous form, 7 to J 1 /- mm. ; apterous form, 

 7 mm. Length, females, macropterous form, 7^-2 to 8 mm. ; apterous 

 form, 7^4 mm. 



[Note by J. R. T. B. This species is a very near neighbor 

 of Gerris marginatns Say, with which it has often been con- 

 founded in collections. Aside from the correlated structural 

 characters, however, the flavescent margin of the anterior lobe 

 of the pronotum serves to distinguish it at once. It can also 

 be separated by its smaller size, pronounced sutures between 

 the abdominal segments, and more or less flattened abdomen 

 in the male. 



My good friend, Mr. E. P. Van Duzee sent me specimens of 

 this species labelled "Gerris snlcatus Uhler," but neither he, 

 Kirkaldy, nor myself have succeeded in finding a description by 

 this author anywhere, hence Kirkaldy concluded that it was 

 merely a manuscript name and decided to describe it, naming 

 it after me. The last I much deprecate, since my views are 

 decidedly against the practice of giving to insects some form of 

 the name borne by an individual. 



The species is widely distributed and ranges from British 

 Columbia to the Atlantic States.] 



*This is one of several fragments left by my lamented friend. It 

 is, as may be seen, a rough preliminary diagnosis, which I have gone 

 over, but it is distinctly not to be regarded or considered as in any 

 way my work, as my share in it has been that of a transcriber only. 

 J. R. T. B. 



