THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 141 



Palpi paler; abdomen laterally yellow-brown calif ornicus Mart. 



8. Palpi long and tbin. deep orange; lengtb 14-15mm. ; basal portion of third 



antennal joint chunky trcpidus, McD. 



Palpi shorter and thicker, pale creamy; length 15- 17mm.; basal portion of 

 3rd antennal joint rather slender hacmaphonis Mart.- 



9. Subcallus normally denuded; palpi chunky, pale creamy nudus McD. 



Subcallus not normally denuded 10 



10. Antennae red with third joint moderately excavated; front narrow and 



coarctate ; palpi moderately swollen cphtatc,^ O. S. 



Antennae black with 3rd joint narrow and not noticeably excavated; front 

 moderately broad ; anterior branch of vein 3 frequently with basal 

 stump 11 



11. Wings with bifurcation of 3rd vein clouded with brown. . .souomcnsis O. S. 

 Wings with no cloud on bifurcation of third vein phacnops O. S. 



12. Subcallus denuded, small species, 13mm nipcstris McD. 



Subcallus not denuded, larger species, 16mm atrobasis McD. 



Tabanus alffinis Kirby. This is the largest species in the group and apart from 

 size is best recognized by its long thin palpi of a deep orange color and the 

 strong dorsal excavation at the base of the third antennal joint. It extends 

 completely across the Dominion of Canada and in the East at least is not liable 

 to be confused with any other species. In British Columbia it is rather rare and 

 the following species, as well as hacmaphonis Mart., have masquaraded under 

 this name. According to Miss Ricardo triligatus Walk, is a sure synonym. 



Tabaiius californicus Marten. This name has been sunk as a synonym of 

 cpistatcs O. S. by Hine (1904. Ohio Nat. \', 236). Marten's types are un- 

 fortunately not in existence but on account of the size mentioned in the original 

 description (17mm.) and the fact that it is very doubtful if the true epistatcs 

 occurs as far south as California, I am inclined to associate this name with a 

 large Pacific Coast form closely allied structurally with affinis but differing 

 very decidedly in the lateral coloration of the abdomen. In affinis the color 

 is a rather rich orange-red whilst in the present species it is yellow-brown, 

 shaded with lighter yellow along the segmental margins. I have seen two 

 specimens from Oregon and the Canadian National Collection contains a series 

 of six females taken by Dr. S. Hadwen at Mt. Lehman in the Lower Fraser 

 Valley, B. C. Marten's original description particularly mentions this yellow- 

 brown color and the remainder of his description fits in so satisfactorily with the 

 present species that I have adopted the name without much hesitation. 



Tal>anus liaemorphorus Marten. Hinc lias sunk this name as a synonym of 

 souomcnsis O. S. but I cannot accept this. The true sonomensi,\ is a compar- 

 atively small .'^pccies. whereas the size of hacmaphonis is given by Marten as 

 16- 18mm. What I consider to be this species has been generally passing under 

 the name of affinis Kby. It is a])parently the commonest British Columbia 

 species, occurring in ^fay and June and differs from the true affinis in the 

 shorter and paler colored palpi and the less excised 3rd antennal joint ; it is 

 also somewhat more slender in build. Besides the British Columbia series in 

 the National Collection I have seen specimens from Oregon. 



Tabaiius eaptonis Marten. I agree with Iline's identification of this species. 



