382 ERNEST A. BACK. 



terior segments, white pruinose like the thorax; hypopygium thick- 

 ened, of moderate size, white pruinose. Legs black, rather thinly 

 clothed with white pile and bristles; hind tibiae rather stout, in struc- 

 ture like those of Nicocles scitidus Williston. Wings hyaline, faintly 

 yellowish tinged on outer half; first longitudinal vein and costa, be- 

 yond the tips of the axillary, a little thickened." 



Type. — University of Kansas. A male specimen. 



Habitat. — Arizona (Prof. Comstock). 



The type specimen, which I have photographed, had already 

 lost a portion of its antennas before loaned me by the Univer- 

 sity of Kansas. 



Cophura scitula. 



? Nicocles scitulus Williston, Trans. Am. Soc, XI, 19, PI. II, fig. 

 I, la, 1884. 



" 9- — Length 5.5 mm. — Wings hyaline with small brown spots; ab- 

 domen polished black with a pruinose spot on the posterior angles of 

 segments 1-5; posterior tibiae scarcely thickened at the tip. 



"Black. Head and antennae black; face rather thickly whitish 

 pubescent with sparse, obscure, yellowish pile, black on the oral mar- 

 gin. Third segment of antennae a little broader at its base. Front 

 more polished, a little yellowish pruinose. Lateral orbits white pruin- 

 ose; beard white. Dorsum of thorax and scutellum but little polished, 

 rather thickly brownish pruinose, with two linear median indistinct 

 stripes, one each in front a whitish pruinose spot and more exteriorly 

 in front of wings a larger more yellowish spot. Pleurae, coxae and sides 

 of metanotum thickly whitish pruinose; disk of metanotum polished. 

 Abdomen bare, smooth, polished, bluish-black, in structure and 

 markings like Nicocles; broadest at tip of fourth segment; on the 

 posterior angles of the first segment with a small whitish pruinose 

 spot, which becomes successively a little larger on the second, third and 

 fourth segments, but smaller on the fifth. Legs black; thinly whitish 

 pilose and with light colored bristles; hind legs only a little elongate, 

 of equal thickness throughout; the tibiae not thickened at tip, but 

 gradually, and only moderately so, from the base; the tarsi only 

 slightly thickened. Wings not elongate, fourth posterior cell wide 

 open; hyaline, at distal ends of the first and second basal and discal 

 cells, and base of the submarginal cells with small brownish clouds." 



Type. — University of Kansas. A single female. 



Habitat. — Washington (H. K. Morrison). 



Placed at first by Dr. Williston under Nicocles with the 

 following remarks: — This species will require the male to de- 

 termine its correct place. I doubt that it is a Nicocles. The 

 wings are like Taracticus, the hind legs are shorter, stouter, 



