356 ERNEST A. BACK. 



abdomen. It is quite distinct from symmacha. Mr. P. R. 

 Jones states that this is a common species in eastern and 

 northern Nebraska. 



Deromyia bilineata (PL III, fig. 10; PL IX, fig. 5). 

 Diogmites bilineata Loew, Cent., VII, 40, 1868. 

 Deromyia bilineataVan der Wulp, Tijdsch. v. Ent., XVII (Sep.) 2. 



$ 9 ■ — Length 19-23 mm. — Much resembling symmacha and the fe- 

 male of discolor, but differing from the latter in having, almost without 

 exception, yellow prothoracic bristles instead of black, and, as a rule, 

 in the possession of velvety black lateral thoracic stripes; in symmacha 

 the dorsal lateral stripes as a rule are reddish; in bilineata they are, 

 with few exceptions, black. For separation of symmacha and bilineata, 

 and for the description of the wing of bilineata, see note under symmacha. 



Brownish-yellow, the pleurae more or less blackish; head, thorax 

 and coxae golden pruinose. Antennae and palpi reddish, the latter 

 sometimes dark brown, always with pale pile. Mystax, beard, pile on 

 sides of prothorax and bristles of coxae, before the halteres, and on 

 sides of the first abdominal segments, whitish; bristles of the occiput 

 and prothorax, as a rule, reddish-yellow; hair and bristles of antennae, 

 ocellar tubercle, thoracic dorsum, scutellum and abdomen black. 

 The two narrow median thoracic stripes are usually velvety black, as 

 also are the lateral ones; but occasionally they are brownish or even 

 much more faded, and when so the specimen very much resembles 

 symmacha and then can best be separated by means of the clouds in 

 the wing. But the velvety black stripes are the rule; the median ones 

 being abbreviated posteriorly and seldom as black stripes reach the 

 pronotum; the lateral stripes are bisected at the transverse suture 

 and are thus divided into two spots, the anterior one being somewhat 

 oval, the posterior one being much attenuated posteriorly. The 

 blackish color of the pleurae is variable in extent and in good specimen 

 does not show through the bloom. Abdomen reddish or brownish- 

 yellow, the posterior angles and narrow posterior margins of the 

 segments and the venter, whitish or pale golden pruinose; segments 

 2-5 of the female, and 2-6 of the male, each with an oblique black 

 spot on the sides near the base above the whitish bloom of the posterior 

 angles. Male hypopygium reddish or brownish. Legs brownish-yel- 

 low, with black hair and bristles; the tarsi toward tips blackish. 

 Wings as in note under symmacha. 



Type. — M. C. Z. Two female specimens. 



Habitat. — Cuba (type) ; Florida. 



Van der Wulp thinks that bilineata is a synonym of basalts 

 Walker "without the least doubt," and records it from Con- 

 necticut. I am very confident that basilis is the female of 



