44 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



much like first, but more closely and less distinctly so, following segments 

 indistinctly punctured; apical margins of segments 1-3 slightly depressed 

 laterally, of segments 1-5 with narrow grayish-white fasciae, interrupted 

 medially on i, and continued as fringes on venter ; segments 4-7 with 

 elongated white bristles on margins. 



Type. — One ($ , Fedor, Texas, March 19, 1904 (Birkmann). A very 

 distinct and exceedingly handsome species. 



Colletes brachycerus^ new name. 



Colletes brevicornis^ Perez (Actes. Soc. Linn. Bordeaux, Vol. 58, p. 

 ccxxvi, 1903), is preoccupied by a North American species, C. brevicomis, 

 Robertson (Trans. Acad. Sci., St. Louis, Vol. VII., p. 315-316, 1897). 

 The above name is, therefore, proposed for the European specie?. 



GUESTS OF SPITTLE-INSECTS. 



Insects of the family Cercopidae, genus Clastoptera or one closely 

 allied, were very common in this region last summer, and the masses of 

 froth in which the clumsy larvae splash their way to maturity and activity 

 were everywhere in evidence on the twigs and leaves of the wild hazel, 

 especially where this bush fringed the timber. 



One hot July day, while annoying some of these semi-amphibious in- 

 fants by poking into their unpleasant habitations, I noticed some small 

 dipterous larvse that were apparently enjoying life under the same condi- 

 tions as the hemipter that built the foam. These flies were evidently able 

 to go through the life-cycle among the bubbles, for their little brown pupae 

 were there, glued fast to the leaves by the drying of the froth. When 

 taken home and reared they proved to be of the species Drosophila 

 sigmoides, Loew, mentioned in Aldrich's Catalogue of the Diptera as 

 occurring in Texas, and collected here in Minnesota possibly for the first 

 time. 



The froth mass seemed to afford ample room for the owner and its 

 uninvited guests, and possibly neither knew that the other was there. 

 Even if a predatory wasp should carry off the Cercopid there would prob- 

 ably be enough dampness remaining to enable the flies to reach maturity 

 among the exuviae of the host, with the possible aid of the dew and rain 

 to keep them moist. 



C. N. AiNSLiE, Rochester, Minn. 



