A. II. G rote's Descriptions of two new Diptera. 445 



Description of Two New Species of North American Brachycerous DIPTERA. 



BY AUG. R. GROTE. 



SPARNOPOLIUS, Loew. 

 Sparnopolius cumatilis. n. sp. 



Form of S. fulfils (Weid.), but smaller. Body thickly and evenly 

 covered with pale greenish sericeous hair, which acquires a brilliant re- 

 flection in certain lights, and particularly so on the front. Antennae 

 black; apical joint a little shorter and thicker than in S. fulvus; ba- 

 sal joints clothed with pale yellowish-brown hair. Wings, clear, glassy, 

 opalescent, in the nenration agreeing with S. fulvus. Legs, dark, 

 thinly covered with short, pale-greenish sericeous pubescence, which, 

 however, is almost wanting on the blackish tarsi. The tegument is 

 everywhere dull blackish. 



Five 9 specimens. Expanse 0.50 inch. Length of body, 0.30 inch. 



Habitat. — Colorado Territory, (Mr. J. Ridings). Coll. Ent. Soc. 

 Phil. • 



The peculiar greenish color of this small species will readily dis- 

 tinguish it from its North American congeners. 



Sparnopolius coloradensis, n. sp. 



Size, small. Body clothed with golden brown hair, of a richer, 

 more golden hue, especially on the front, but resembling that of S. 

 fulvus in color, than which S. coloradensis is one-half smaller. An- 

 tenna; black, basal joints loosely and rather thickly clothed with brown 

 hair mixed with blackish. Terminal antennal joints flattened laterally, 

 appearing wider than usual, with, however, pointed apices. Thoracic 

 surface beneath, and venter, clothed with paler, somewhat greenish se- 

 riceous pubescence. Wings, clear, glassy, opalescent; veins a little 

 darker than in either S. fulvus or S. cumatilis. Legs, dark, thinly 

 clothed with pale sericeous pubescence, which is nearly concolorous 

 with that of the under corporal parts. 



Three 9 specimens. Expanse, 0.45 inch. Length of body, 0.25 inch. 



Habitat. — Colorado Territory, (Mr. James Ridings). Coll. Ent. Soc. 

 Phil. 



Both these little species agree with S. fulvus, iu structure, as with 

 the characters of the genus given by Prof. H. Loew, in the "Neue 

 Beitrage zur Kenntnissder Diptera, Berlin, 1855." The first posterior 

 cell (cellula posterioris prima) is open, aud there are no spinules on 

 the hind femora. The corporal pubescence is comparatively short and 

 thick. 



