172 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



REMARKS ON ZETHUS SLOSSON^. 



BY WM. J. FOX, PHILADELPHIA, PA. 



In the Canadian Entomologist for May (page 140) there appears 

 an article by Mr.Wm. H. Patton, entitled "Zethus Aztecus in Florida," in 

 which the author attempts to prove that Zethus Poeyi, SIossoucp. and 

 aztecus are the same species. As I am the authority for one of these 

 species, it was but natural that I should make a study of the trio, in order 

 to ascertain if Mr. Patton's assertions were correct. An examination of 

 the material in my possession convinces me that Mr. P. is mistaken, and 

 that his conclusions have no facts to enforce them. In my studies I have 

 had a series of eight female and seven male specimens of Slossonce, three 

 females and one male of Poeyi, and a female of azteacs. In the first 

 mentioned species, notwithstanding Mr. P.'s statements that the des- 

 cribed differences are but variations, the only variations noticed in my 

 series are that sometimes the yellow on clypeus and at apex of petiole 

 are wanting. There is no yellow on the vertex of SIosso?ice, while Poeyi (at 

 least in the specimens before me) has always two large spots there ; in 

 general appearance Slossonce is a much more robust insect than Poeyi^ 

 particularly the head and thorax, and the yellow markings thereon are by 

 no means so promiscuous. Z. aztecus is quite a different insect in appear- 

 ance from both the other species, and scarcely requires a comparison with 

 them. Excluding the characters Patton regards as variations, the species 

 differ as follows : — 



POEVI. 



Posterior face of metathorax 

 smooth, velvety, not at all striated ; 

 enlargement of petiole rather finely 

 punctured. 



AZTECUS. 



Abdomen black, greater part of 

 legs black, petiole with exceedingly 

 coarse punctures ; collar above, an- 

 teriorly, with a prominent crest ; 

 second ventral, abdominal segment 



SLOSSON^. 



Posterior face of metathorax very 

 coarsely striated ; enlargement of 

 petiole tolerably coarsely punc. 

 tured. 



POEYI AND SLOSSON/E. 



Abdomen, except petiole, ferru- 

 ginous, or claret brown ; greater 

 part of legs ferruginous * * * * ^ 

 collar above, anteriorly, scarcely 

 crested ; second ventral segment 



with large shallow punctures. i with fine, sparse punctures. 



