331 



OxYCERA PicTA Van der Wtilp 



Oxycera picta Van der Wiilii, Tijdsehr. v. Eiitom., Vol. 10, 1867, p. 133. 



A male which I believe belongs to this species differs from the 

 foregoing description in having the pale markings lemon-yellow and 

 considerably larger. The antennae are shorter, not exceeding the 

 length of the arista, and the entire length of the specimen is 5.5 mm. 



Locality, Urbana, Illinois, Jmie 7, 19DI (C. A. Hart). 



Van der Wulp had some doubts as to the identity of his species 

 with that described by Latreille as maculata, since many essential 

 characters were not mentioned by that author, and Maccjuart in his 

 redescription of the type did not make matters much better. From 

 alhovittata the female of picta may be separated by the sulphur- 

 colored markings, and by the fact that the lateral frontal stripes curve 

 inwards above and connect with each other and with a pale line round 

 the ocelli. It is possible that Van der Wulp had two species mixed, 

 as he says that there are sometimes 2 yellow spots below the an- 

 tennae — a character that I am inclined to believe is not by any means 

 variable, and one which is absent from the male described above. 

 Picta Was originally described from Wisconsin. Melander has re- 

 corded ntaculata from Louisiana, but the record may refer to picta. 



Subfamily BERIDINAE 



I have not seen the larv^a of any species of this subfamily. My 

 only information as to the characters of this stage is derived from 

 European authors, and is included in the key to the subfamilies of 

 Stratiomyiidae. 



The larvae are terrestrial in habit. In general appearance they 

 resemble those of Geosargus, but differ in having the bristles on the 

 dorsum and lateral margins short and closely placed in groups of 4 

 or more. 



The imagines are very rarely met with in North America — a fact 

 quite in contrast with conditions in Europe, where several species are 

 among the very commonest of any in the family. 



Subfamily GEOSARGINAE 



This subfamily contains nine distinguishable genera. V.^illiston 

 gives ten in his "Manual", but there is no valid reason for separating 

 Macrosargus from Geosargus. I have obtained the larvae of two 

 genera, which are described herewith. 



