THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 125 



NEW TACHINID.*: WITH A SLENDER PROBOSCIS.. 



BY D. W. COQUILLETT, WASHINGTON, D. C. 



The Tachinidae described below have a slender, rigid proboscis, of 

 which the portion beyond the basal articulation is at least one half longer 

 than the height of the head. All are from the Pacific Coast, and, excejjt 

 where otherwise stated, were captured or bred by the writer. 



Siphona plusice, n. sp — ^ 9 Terminal section of proboscis — the 

 part beyond the second geniculation — not more than three-fourths as long 

 as height of head. Frontal vitta yellow, less than twice as wide as either 

 side of the front next the antenna? ; sides of front grayish poUinose, frontal 

 bristles descending nearly to apex of second antennal joint, two pairs of 

 orbital bristles; face whitish, the sides bare; vibrissas inserted near the 

 oral margin, only two or three small bristles above each ; cheeks less than 

 one-fourth as wide as height of eyes. Antennas black, four-fifths as long 

 as the face, the third joint three times as long as the second, two and one- 

 half times as long as wide ; arista thickened on the basal half, the penul- 

 timate joint twice as long as wide. Proboscis brown, palpi yellow. 

 Thorax and scutellum black, gray, poUinose, the former bearing three 

 post-sutural macrochaeta?, the scutellum with a small, cruciate apical and 

 tliree long lateral pairs. Abdomen black, the sides of the first segment 

 broadly, and sometimes also of the second, except the hind corners, 

 yellow; gray poUinose, more or less of the hind margins of the segments 

 shining ; a marginal pair and a single lateral macrochaeta on the second 

 segment^ a marginal row of six on the third and of four on the fourth. 

 Legs yellow, the tarsi and usually the front femora and apices of the 

 others, blackish ; claws and pulvilli very small. Wings hyaline, third 

 vein bristly at least half way to the small cross-vein, the others bare ; hind 

 cross-vein straight, perpendicular; calypteres white. Length, 3 to 4.5 mm. 

 Southern California. Thirty-one specimens. Of these, sixteen were bred 

 from larvae of Plusia calif or?iica, April 26th, 1883, and July 2nd, 1892; 

 four others were bred from an unknown Noctuid larva July 31st, 1890; 

 the remainder were captured in February and March. 



Isogiossa, n. gen. — Proboscis slender, rigid, the portion beyond the 

 basal articulation nearly twice as long as height of head, labella not 

 differentiated; palpi clavate, well developed. Eyes thinly pilose. Head 

 not inflated, nearly quadrangular, broader than the thorax ; face slightly 

 receding, lower margin of head straight, slightly longer than length of 

 head at base of antennas, anterior pair of ocellar bristles directed obHquely 



