36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 71 



The only conclusions I can reach as to the standing of these speci- 

 mens are that they were all probably in Smith's hands at the time 

 he described the species, and that the third is probably the Georgia 

 specimen. Of the other two, the second has the reliability of its 

 labels affected by the contradictory locality statements, and I am of 

 the opinion that as between the three, the first should be considered 

 the type (Lectotype) and the third, the Georgia specimen mentioned 

 in connection with this description. These specimens are undoubtedly 

 violaceipennis as here interpreted. 



Cresson described robusta from eight female specimens. At first 

 several of these bore printed "Type" labels but later he designated 

 one as the type, which would leave the others as probp.bly of para- 

 type rating. The type, and several of the other specimens at least, 

 are in the collection of the American Entomological Society where I 

 have studied them. It is violaceipennis, but from arid or semiarid 

 regions, with a correspondingly greater area of ferruginous than in 

 eastern specimens. 



To the species communis, described by Cresson from 40 male speci- 

 mens, the statements made for robusta apply equally well. It is the 

 average arid or semiarid region coloration of the male violaceipennis. 



Of AmmopMla alpestris Cameron I found five specimens in the 

 British Museum marked as belonging to the Biologia collections, one of 

 them labeled "Am7nophila alpestris Cam. Type" in Cameron's writ- 

 ing and from the locality given with his description. It is undoubtedly 

 the type, though the length measurements he gives show that he 

 consulted the other specimens. It is an arid region male violaceipennis, 

 being rather extreme in that even the long hairs on the front of the 

 head are white. I was unable to make the third antennal segment 

 (first filament) one-half longer than the fourth, as stated by Cameron? 

 but it is well within the range of variation found in violaceipennis. 



Psammophila pacifica Melander and Brues was described from one 

 male specimen collected at Pacific Grove, California, based on a pecu- 

 liarly shaped third cubital cell, strongly convergent eyes, white pubes- 

 cence, and very slender form. The third cubital cell is unusual in 

 form, being barrel shaped, but I have seen specimens similar to this 

 on one wing and quite normal on the other. The white pubes- 

 ence, if by this the close, decumbent pubescence on the face, is 

 meant, is normal to all male Podalonias, but if it is the long hairs 

 which is meant, as is more probable, considering the rest of the 

 description, I am totally unable to find them on the type, the long 

 hairs on the head being black. The eyes are no more convergent 

 than is often the case in males, this being a usual sexual feature. I 

 am unable to consider this specimen as other than a small example 

 of male violaceipennis with a third cubital cell of rather unusual 

 form. 



