318 isroTtes on bumblSbeSs 



and there is a slight difference in the shape of the hind meta- 

 tarsus. The points of difference just stated are the points of 

 difference existing between FrankHn's fernaldi and what he calls 

 edwardsii. It is also desirable to add that the allotype males of 

 edwardsii have longer antennae than do males of bifarius and 

 that they exhibit also a slight difference in the form of the geni- 

 talia. This difference in the length of the antennae is also ap- 

 parent in Franklin's description oi fernaldi and edwardsii. There 

 is a variety of bifarius which closely resembles what must now 

 be called edwardsii { = fernaldi Franklin), which was described 

 as nearcticus by Handlirsch in 1888. Undoubtedly this has been 

 the cause of the present confusion. It is very probable that 

 Cresson mixed the variety nearcticus of bifarius with bis own 

 species edwardsii, as he gives the distribution of edwardsii as 

 California and Colorado. I have never seen a specimen of true 

 edwardsii from Colorado. In this connection it may be noted 

 that Fowler listed edwardsii from California, and that Franklin 

 later considered this record as pertaining to his species fernaldi. 

 In the light of the present evidence, Fowler determined this 

 species correctly. 



Bremus flavifrons (Cresson) 



A study of the lectotype male and paratype male of B. flavi- 

 frons (Cresson), both of which bear the label "R. A." (Russian 

 America), shows that neither specimen is the same as the spe- 

 cies now going by the name of flavifrons and answering the 

 description of that species as redescribed by Franklin in 1912. 

 Instead, these specimens are males of B. pleura Us (Nylander). 

 Both these last-named species and B. centralis (Cresson) are 

 very closely related, but sufficiently distinct to be considered as 

 species. The presence of a definite black band between the 

 wings is a decided characteristic of pleuraUs, as well as the ])ure 

 3^ellow character of the pubescence anterior to the black thoracic 

 band. On specimens which I consider to be males of flavifrons, 

 the anterior dorsal part of the thorax bears a mixture of l)lack 

 and yellow pubescence; thus agreeing in this res])ect with the 

 queens and workers of the same species. The ])araty])e male 

 also has a considerable amou^it of ferruginous ])ubescen('e on 

 the fifth dorsal segment, a condition which occurs in a male 



