290 T. D. A. COCKERELL. 



types of albipes were missing, and that the specimens (from Colorado) 

 standing in their phice were in fact nubecula. Tlie original types 

 of albipex were from Nevada. 



In the meanwhile Mr. Fox kindly sent a specimen of what he 

 considered true menipes, from Arizona. This proved to be the same 

 as what I had labeled belfnigei, an example having been taken by 

 Prof. Townsend at San Augustine, New Mexico, and another by 

 Miss J. Casad in the Mesilla Valley. Mr. Fox, being informed of 

 this, wrote that mellipes Blake, and belfragei Blake, were really the 

 same species; belfragei, having more than ten years priority, is the 

 cori'ect name. 



But we have, from San Augustine (Prof. Townsend) and the Me- 

 silla Valley (Prof. Wooton), also another form, which flies with bel- 

 fnigei, and very exactly resembles it, excej)t that it has a black 

 head. This, evidently, is P. melaniceps Blake, but I judge it to be 

 only a variety of belfragei, which Mr. Fox admits is perhaps the 

 case. 



At Santa Fe I caught a Photopsis and sent it to Mr. Fox ; word 

 came back that it was P. nokomis, though small. I regret that I 

 did not study it, as I find among my Santa Fe Photopsis no nokomis, 

 but only pic us. However, that picus is distinct from nokomis cannot 

 be doubted. 



Mr. Fox writes : " the color of nokomis varies ; but the species is 

 easily distinguished from those mentioned above \^nubecula, etc.] by 

 the shape of first abdominal segment, which is shorter and gradually 

 broadened from the base ; in the others it is suddenly dilated at about 

 the middle and is much longer. The width of this segment at apex 

 is variable in nokomlK.'" 



P. picus, on the other hand, has the first segment sha})evl like that 

 of nubecula. If picus is held sideways, the abdomen, with the first 

 segment, suggest the body and head of a woodpecker, whence the 

 specific name. So also in nubecula, l)ut the segment in picus aver- 

 ages slenderer. 



The other type is illustrated by P. clara Bl., a Texas specimen, 

 of which I have from Mr. Fox. In this the abdomen, with first 

 segment, might be compared to the body and head of a vulture, in 

 the posture with the head depressed upon the shoulders. 



Mr. Fox points out the little brushes of hair on the apices of ven- 

 tral segments 4 and 5 in nubecula. These are entirely wanting in 

 picus, which can also be distinguished from nubecula by its venation. 



