214 Journal New York Entomological Society. CVoi. xxiii, 



2. Abdomen black above, vinspotted ; halteres dark velutina. 



Abdomen gray, banded with black ; halteres pale taniata. 



3. Abdomen black, with pale lateral spots; halteres pale flavicornis. 



In this table P. obscura Loew would go to " 2," and there sep- 

 arated by " Abdomen black, with pale lateral spots." 



Platypeza flavicornis Loew. 



Several specimens from Falls Church and Great Falls, Va., all in 

 August. 



What I consider the female of this species has little gray spots on 

 extreme margin of the abdominal segments above, with a cinereous 

 band across base of abdomen. It will thus agree with the description 

 of P. obscura Loew, but that species is said to have the posterior 

 cross vein near the hind margin. 



Platypeza taeniata Snow. 



Females from Great Falls, 9 Sept., have the bands on the abdomen 

 not widened in the middle and thus dividing the gray. But I also 

 have several in which the black bands are widened on middle, so that 

 the gray is divided, and a male which also is marked on the same plan. 

 These may form a variety or new species. These latter are f.rom 

 Falls Church, Aug. and Sept., and the male 15 Nov. In this species 

 the costal cell reaches barely beyond the end of the first basal cell. 



Platypeza submacula new species. 



Male. — Black, face gray pollinose ; basal joints of the antennae pale; palpi 

 pale; legs rather pale (or perhaps not fully colored). Abdomen velvety black, 

 the fourth segment above with three large gray pollinose spots, last segment 

 gray ; halteres dark. Wings hyaline, the posterior cross-vein once and a-half 

 its length from the margin, third section of fourth vein much longer than 

 fourth section; the upturned section not very long; auxiliary vein ends only 

 a little beyond anterior cross-vein. Scutellum with two bristles on hind edge. 

 Length 2.^ mm. ^ 



From Great Falls, Va., 9 Sept. 



Platypeza velutina Loew. 



Both sexes from Falls Church, in May and June. 



Platypeza minorata new species. 



Male. — Black, face gray pollinose; palpi pale; antennae dark; abdomen 

 velvety black, last segment gray ; legs dark, tarsi pale, hind tarsi yellowish 

 white ; scutellum with a large bristle each side on the margin, and one or two 



