110 STUDIES IN AMERICAN EPHYDRIDAE (dIPTERA) 



from decipiens. The specimens examined are all quite shining, 

 dark brown or black, with faint olivaceous abdominal bands. 

 The study of more material may show intergradations sufficient 

 to relegate this form to varietal rank. 



Type. — Described from numerous specimens from St. Vincent, 

 West Indies. The type should be in the British Museum of 

 Natural History. I am unable to examine the cotypes. These 

 are supposed to be distributed as follows: three in the University 

 of Kansas Collection and five in the American Museum of 

 Natural History. 



Specimens Examined. — 14. 



Florida: Titusville, Nov. 8, 1911, 1, [A. M. N. H.]. 



Costarica: Filadelfia, Jan. 18, 1910, (P. P. Calvert; muddy bank of Rio 

 Tempisque), 1, [A. E. S.]; Santa Cruz, Rio de la Canas, Jan. 30, 1910, (P. P. 

 •Calvert; sweeping over mud), 2, [A. E. S.]. 



Cuba: Havana, (Baker), 3, [A. M. N. H.]; 1, [Johnson]; San Banos, 2, 

 ;[U. S. N. M.]. 



Porto Rico: Bayamon, Jan. 1899, (A. Busck), 1, [U. S. N. M.]; Fajardo, 

 Feb. 1899, (A. Busck), 1, [U. S. N. M.]. 



Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, (H. H. Smith), 1, [A. N. S. P.]. 



Paraguay: (Fiebrig), 1, [H. N. M.]. 



Paralittma plumbiceps new species 



This species belonging to the group in which the male fore 

 femora are characteristically ciliated beneath, is, however, quite 

 distinct in its narrow frons and face, and is easily distinguished 

 by the dull lead color of the latter. 



Description of Male. — Black; halteres yellow; base of tarsi tawny. Opaque; 

 frons yellowish brown with design obscured, anterior half blackish; face, 

 cheeks, clypeus, antennae, plem-a, venter and legs, dull, bluish lead color; 

 yellowish facial spots obscured. Mesonotum yellowish, with irrorations, 

 large spots and three median vittae, brown. Scutellum concolorous. ]\leso- 

 pleura with large brown spot above. Abdomen with narrow gray fasciae 

 which are somewhat oblique medianly; median stripe broad and well defined. 

 Wings hyaline with yellow veins. 



Head as high as broad. Eyes obhque. Frons long as broad. Face longer 

 than broad with median hump rather distinct; Parafacials linear; upper 

 bristles differentiated. Cheeks one-third as broad as eye. Arista with S to 10 

 hairs. Fore femora of male obliquely constricted beneath on apical fourth, 

 with mesal ciliation of flattened, cm-ved bri.stles; lateral ciliation of normal 

 bristles in complete series extending to apex. Fore tibiae bent, with flexor 

 sm-face flattened and bearing short ciliation. Wings normal. Length. — 3.5. 

 mm. 



Female. — Similar with lateral flexor series on fore femora complete, but of 

 few well separated weak bristles. 



