44 A REVISION OF THE NEARCTIC SCTOMYZIDAE 



Type. — cf , Berkeley Hills, Alameda County, California, March 

 22, 1908, (Cresson), [A. N. S. P. no. 6221]. 



Specimens Examined. — 1 cf , 3 9 • 



Massachxtsetts: Wood's Hole, July 25, [B. S. ISi. H.]. 



Idaho: Moscow, June 2, (Cresson), [A. N. S. P.l. 



California: Berkeley Hills, March 22; Redwood Canon, Marin County, 

 May 17, (all Cresson), [all A. N. S. P.]. 



Variations and Note.s. — There are variations in the color of 

 the fore femora, and in the intensity of the apical infuscation of 

 the hind femora and tibiae. The specimen from Wood's Hole 

 (female) was received determined as Sciomyza obtusa Loew, but 

 it does not agree with the description of that species. Loew 

 probably had this or one of its allied forms before him when 

 writing for the Monographs, but whatever he knew as obtusa 

 Fallen cannot have weight now in this homogeneous group. We 

 must revert to the type whenever possible. The European 

 obtusa (Hendel 1902) has the frons opaque, with a gray dusted 

 band anteriorly; fore legs hardly darker than the others; arista 

 short plumose. From the European S. dorsata Zetterstedt our 

 form differs in the darker fore femora, and the mesopleura being 

 non-setulose. Our form may be S. ventralis Fallen, but I should 

 prefer to compare authentic specimens of the two before consider- 

 ing such a reference. In some collections this form may be found 

 under S. ImmUis Loew, an entirely different insect. 

 Melina vitalis variety similis new variety 



This form may prove to be specifically distinct, but, based on 

 the meager series of two specimens, I will not attempt to con- 

 sider it as such at present. There seem to be a few characteristics 

 which may be considered of specific value. Its similarity to 

 vitalis is evident, but on the whole somewhat paler, especially 

 on the legs; frons narrower and more opaque. The fore femora 

 are pale except apically, bases of fore tarsi whitish but not con- 

 spicuously so, the apical infuscation of middle and hind femora 

 more pronounced. 



Type.— d', Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 18, [U. S. N. M.]. 

 A male labeled "D. C." (Coquillett), in the National Museum, 

 which was found placed under the name obtusa, seems to be con- 

 specific with the type. In Hendel's revision this form runs to 

 annulipes Zetterstedt. 



