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Vol. XLIV. LONDON, JANUARY, 1912. No. 



SYSTEMATIC NOTES ON NORTH AMERICAN TACHINID.'E* 



BY JJHN D. TOTHILL, DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY, OTTAWA. 



The following is the first of a series of articles on Tachinidas which 

 the writer hopes to publish in this journal from time to time. They will 

 be of a strictly systematic nature and emphasis will be laid upon Canadian 

 species. This present article contains a description of a new Canadian 

 species of Winthemia together with a key for the separation of the North 

 American species of the genus known at the present time ; it also contains 

 suggestions for improvement at two difficult points in Mr. Coqiiillett's 

 generally excellent key to the genera in his "Revision of the N. American 

 Tachinidae." 



Wmthemia Desv. 



In the course of a study of the parasites of the Spruce Budworm 

 ( Toririx fufniferana Clemens) in Canada by the Division of Entomology 

 a new species of Wmthemia was reared in considerable numbers. A 

 description of th's species, which is here named W. funiiferanœ. after its 

 host, together with a key for the separation of the North American species 

 of the genus follows. 



The genus Winthemia Desv. (''Essai sur les Myodaires," p. 173, 

 1830), is represented in North America by four known species. One of 

 these, W. qiiadrtpustulata Fab., is an exceedingly variable species. The 

 writer has examined the tyj^es of W. obscura Coq. and W. a?iten7ialis 

 Coq. and there seems to be little doubt but that they are both good 

 species. For the privilege of examining these types and for numerous 

 other courtesies while at the United States National Museum the writer is 

 indebted to the authorities of that institution and more pirticularly to 

 Mr. Frederick Knab. 



The four species may be separated as follows : — 



Î. With 3 sternopleural bristles 2. 



With 2 sternopleural bristles 3 



*Contributions from the Division of Entomology, Ottawa. 



