200 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 



Okanagania Tn. Can. Ent. 289, 1915. 



Melinocera Tn. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. XXVIII.. 22. 1915. 



The genus Eniesfia was proposed in 1830 by Robineau Desvoidy for the 

 reception of a single species that he called nucrocera. According to Bezzi (Kat. 

 Pal. Dipt. 1907) the species niicroccra R.D. is a synonym of rudjs Fall, de- 

 scribed in 1810 as a Tachina. As the species rudis Fall, does not properly 

 belong in the genus Tachina, it therefore becomes the type species of the genus 

 Brnesiia. 



The genus Fausta was proposed in 1830 by Robineau Desvoidy for the 

 reception of five species. In 1863 the same author designated nemorum Meig. 

 as the type species of the genus. For reasons that will appear later, it seems 

 that in spite of the wide parafacials, this species is closely related to the general- 

 ized Brnestias, such as rudis Fall, and radicum Fab. In order to preserve the 

 sense of relationship with Brncstia and yet to bring out the difference between 

 the two series, it seems advisable to treat Fausta as a subgenus of the genais 

 Brnestia. 



The species described by Coquillett as Mcriaiiia cJialybca is undoubtedly 

 congeneric with puparum Fab. of Europe, a male and female of which — deter- 

 mined by Bezzi — I have seen. The genus was proposed for species having the 

 sides of the face hairy and otherwise resembling Brnestia s. str. Hairiness of 

 the facialia in this group is, however, of questionable generic value because 

 Brncstia flavicornis Br. exhibits a marked tendency in this direction, especially 

 in some specimens. Furthermore, the male genitalia in chalybca Coq. and in 

 puparum Fab. also exhibit the same generalized features as do those of B. flavi- 

 cornis. The best way to express this clear relationship seems to be to treat 

 Meriania as a subgenus of the genus Brncstia for the inclusion of puparum 

 Fab., chalybca Coq.. flavicornis Br., and nigrocornea sp. n. 



These two subgenera, Fausta and Meriania, are evidently closely related, 

 as shown by the generalized genitalia. In the known species they can be separ- 

 ated by the presence of discal bristles on the second abdominal segment in 

 Fausta and by their absence in Meriania: and by the presence of hairs on the 

 parafacials in Meriania and by their absence in Fausta. An undetermined 

 female Brncstia from Armstrong, B.C., in the National Collection at Ottawa 

 has both hairy parafacials and discal abdominal bristles; it, when the male be- 

 comes known, this proves to belong to the Fausta-Mcriania group, it would 

 show that these two subgenera could be treated more naturally as a single sub- 

 genus. 



The genus Mctaphyto was proposed by Coquillett in 18" ^7 for the recep- 

 tion of a single species, genalis Coq. This species has wide parafacials as in 

 Fausta and genitalia that relate it to Brncstia arcuata et al. (See the discussion 

 of this point later). The relationships will be fairly well expressed by treat- 

 ing Mctaphyto as a subgenus of the genus Brnestia. 



An examination of the type of Okanagania hirta Tn. shows the fly to be 

 B. (Mctaphyto) genalis Coq. 



Xanthophyto labis Tn. may prove to be an Brnestia when more is known 

 about its habits. The yellow third segment of the antenna, the cloud over the 

 radio medial cross vein, and the generalized condition of the male genitalia all 



