ABT. 28 CHALCID FLIES NORTH OF MEXICO BALDUF 37 



fact that they are part of a series of typical variant, show that they 

 are probably this species. The specimens in the Missouri series are 

 unique in having the band considerably reduced on the proximal and 

 distal margins, but its maximum width is still greater than the length 

 of the marginal vein. These Hopkins lots, however, agree in having 

 the head rounded in front, face receding below antennal fossae, 

 setae on submarginal vein usually 11 to 14, and in their general color 

 pattern. 



Dr. A. C. Kinsey provided five females from the galls of Plagio- 

 trochus chrysolepidicola (Ashmead), var, undetermined, from pugnvs 

 Kinsey, in one instance on Q. dumosa^ Paso Robles, Calif., and 

 again from the same gall at Napa, Calif.; also from the same gall 

 at Exeter, Calif., on Q. lohata^ and others from Manitou, Colo., 

 from P. frequens frequens (Gillette) on Q. UTidulata. The rearing 

 dates for the cynipid gall makers of these Kinsey lots are in Feb- 

 ruary, March, and April, 1920. 



Several other California specimens were received through the 

 courtesy of Dr. Isabel McCracken from Leland Stanford Junior 

 University collection (Lot 554, Sub. Ill) and reared by her from the 

 galls of Disholcaspis eldoradensis (Beutenmueller) on Q. lohata^ on 

 the Stanford campus, April 1915. 



I have not been able to examine specimens of Decatoma kelloggi 

 Fullaway. Doctor McCracken kindly compared some of my Kinsey 

 specimens with the type of kelloggi and reports that these differ 

 in color from the type. D. va7'ians Walsh, however, varies extremely 

 in color, Fullaway states that the head of kelloggi is " fairly thick 

 anterior-posteriorly," and the front wing has " a brown gourd- 

 shaped cloud extending across the middle of the wing two-thirds 

 its width." His specimens were reared by Mrs. Rose Patterson 

 Blakeman from a " twig swelling " gall on Quercus chrysoleyis^ 

 the galls collected at Stevens Creek, Santa Clara County, Calif. It 

 is probable that this gall is a close relative, if not a member, of the 

 genus PlagiotrochiLS, from which what I regard as varians Walsh 

 has been reared. The head and wing characters quoted above are 

 essential features of varians, and altogether it is very likely that 

 D. kelloggi Fullaway is identical with Walsh's species. 



The outstanding features of varians are: The greatly variable 

 body color, the hind femora usually mostly ochreous-yellow out- 

 wardly, cheeks reticulate punctate, not polished and smooth, usually 

 13 to 15 setae on the submarginal vein, and the finely granulose 

 sculpturing of at least the sides of the posterior half of the abdomen. 

 It is also remarkable for its wide geographic distribution, and the 

 broad range of genera of cynipid galls on oak from which it has 

 been obtained. 



