E. T. CRESSON, JR. 
49 
Notiphila scalaris Loew 
1862. Notiphila scalaris Loew, Mon. Dipt. N. Am., i, 134. 
Ill this species we have the tj^jical North American form be- 
longing to the division of this group, possessing black antennae 
and palpi. It is distinguished from its allies by the obscure 
frontal vittae and the broad black abdominal bands. These 
bands are shining and seldom dilated medianly or noticeably 
attenuated laterally, but continue over on the ventral lobes in 
their full width. From occidentalis it may be difficult to sep- 
arate the present species when the fauna from westward of 
the Mississippi Valley, especially that of the eastern slope of 
the Rocky Mountains, is more thoroughly worked over in this 
genus. 
I think my determination of this species is correct. 
Description. — Black; middle and hind tarsi tawny; fore tarsi brown or 
black, only tawny at the articulations; tarsal fascicle yellow, rarely black. 
Halteres yellow. 
Opaque. Frons generally unicolorous blackish, or orbits and triangle some- 
what gray or yellowish, rarely with broad orbits contrasting with black vittae; 
limule yellowish white. Face golden to grayish yellow; orbits scarcely hghter. 
Cheeks concolorous. Mesonotum hght brown to grayish brown, only faintly 
and inconspicuously vittate; mesopleura with distinct brown horizontal stripe 
or spot. Abdomen gray to light brown, segments two to four with broad 
shining brown or black basal bands, which are rarely attenuated laterally or 
attaining apical margins at middle, generally of equal width to lateral margins 
and extending over on the ventral lobes; segment two rarely immaculate. Api- 
cal segment of male entirely shining black or brown, or, with lateral gray spots, 
but rarely with a median gray stripe. Wings brownish with yellow veins, 
which are more or less clouded with fuscous or yellow, especially the post-cross 
vein. 
Eyes vertical, attenuated below. Frons as long as broad; orbits parallel 
or converging. Face two-thirds as broad as vertex, twice as long as broad; 
Carina obtuse or in some aspects appearing sharp, visible in profile, especially 
of female; bristles hair-hke, in series complete to foveae. Cheeks as broad as 
length of third antennal joint. Antennal spine hardlj' one-half as long as 
third joint; arista with nine or more hairs. IVIiddle femora with two, rarely 
three, bristles on the apical half of anterior surface. Length. — 3.5 to 4 mm. 
Types . — cf , 9 ; Middle States, (Osten Sacken), [Mus. Comp. 
Zook] 
Specimens Examined . — 124 cf and 9 . 
Canada: Sandford, Ontario, VI, 1906, (C. II. Crosby), 3 9, [C. U ]■ 
Toronto, Ontario, VII, 4, 1913, (M. C. VanDuzee), 1 9, [Van D.]. 
New Hampshire: Franconia, (A. T. Slosson), 1 cf, [U. S. N. M.j. 
TRANS. AM. ENT. 80C., XLIII. 
