PSYCHE. 



A REVIEW OF THE NORTH AMERICAN. SPECIES OF 

 NEiMOTELUS. Plate 4. 



BY AXEL LEONARD MELANDER, CHICAGO, ILL. 



The genus Nemotelus, or Nematotelus, includes a group of rather small 

 Stratiomyiidae generally of dark coloration, characterized by the prolongation of the 

 lower part of the face. From the underside of this rostellum projects the slender 

 and long drawn-out proboscis which has gained the generic name for these insects. 

 However instead of being used as a weapon these mouth parts are admirably 

 adapted for their function of feeding from the long throated florets of the cone- 

 flowers. These small flies are not rare ; where they occur they can be caught by 

 dozens from the heads of their favorite flowers. From the few published records 

 concerning this genus it would seem that in the Eastern States JV. carbo7iariits is 

 the most abundant. In Illinois N. iitiicolor is the prevailing form. This species 

 also, has the greatest distribution, occurring to Hayti and Mexico. Nemotelus 

 canadensis is commonest in Colorado, N. crassus in Kansas, while the Texas 

 species are all equally abundant. 



The European species of this genus have been divided into three groups by 

 Dr. H. Loew, as follows : — 



1. All the tibiae in part black, 



2. Hind tibiae only in part black, 



3. All the tibiae with almost no black. 



On this basis the North American species would be grouped thus : — 



p alii pes 

 ivhecleri 



3. (icutirostris 



4. flavicornis 

 imiiiaciilntus 

 albirostris 

 trinotatHS 



Of these groups the first seems incongruous, but the other two are well con- 

 structed. The species of the second have black males, stubby faces, and as a 



