1909.] 



],85 



sylvatiea and ? spectalilis. In the absence of a (^ of sylvatiea it is, 

 however, not wise to regard spectnUUs as synonymous with sylvatiea 

 {cf. next species). 



3. — Ctenopsyllus fallax, spec. nov. (PI. II, fig. 1). 

 The head bears in both sexes three spine-like bristles at the angle of the frons, 

 and two normal bristles between them and the base of the antennal groove, as in 

 Ct. spectabilis. The bristles of the other parts of the body also agree with those of 

 Ct. spectalilis, and the 9 does not present any apparent differences from the same 

 sex of spectabilis and sylvatiea. The genitalia of the S , however, are abundantly 

 distinct (PI. TI, fig. 1). The movable process F is much less hatchet-shaped tlian in 

 spectabilis, the distal edge of it being rounded ; the three bristles which are placed 

 at the upper distal corner also differ from those of spectabilis, especially in the lower 

 one being much thinner than in that species. The ninth sternite (ix. st.) does not 

 bear any long bristles, and the eighth sternite (viii. st.) is characterized by having its 

 upper edge -widened, as shown in the figure. 



We have one (^ (type) and one ? from Carapfer, Upper Enga- 

 dine, taken off Microtus arvalis by Dr. K. Jordan on August 1st, 1904; 

 one ^ from Vulpera, Lower Engadine, taken off Arvicola spec, by the 

 Hon. L. W. Kothschild, on July 28th, 1903 ; one ^ and one ? from 

 St. Paul, Basses Alpes, taken off Soreoc araneiis by Mons. Mottaz on 

 October 26th, 1907, and one ^ and one S from the same place, taken 

 off Evotomys naqeri by the same collector on October 2Gth, 1907. 



4.— Ctenopsyllus bidentatus, Kolen. 

 Ctenophthahnus hidentatiis, Kolenati, Monongr. Eur. Chiropt., 

 p. 147 (1860) (indescr.). 



Ctenopsyllus bidentatus, Kolenati, Hor. Soc. Ent. Eoss, ii, p. 38, 

 no. 17, t. 3, fig. 1 ^ (1863) (from Sciiirus vulgaris and Rhinoloplms 

 ferrum-equinum) . 



This is doubtless a close ally of spectabilis and fallax. The de- 

 scription given by Kolenati is so short and the figure so faulty, that it 

 is impossible to identify the insect he referred to from them. The 

 figure bears three bristles at the upper angle of the end of the abdomen, 

 which represent perhaps the three bristles of the movable process of 

 the genitalia of spectabilis and fallax. The prothoracic comb is said 

 to contain 18 spines, while in the species mentioned it consists of 

 25 to 28 spines. 



Wagner, in 1903, considered spectabilis as probably synonymous 

 with bidentatus. We do not think that he was right. If a J of 

 Kolenati's original specimens still exists, it is more likely to be iden- 

 tical with/a//rt^ than with spectabilis, and perhaps still more likely to 

 be distinct from both. 



