158 Psyche [October 



By the plan of artificial propagation herein outlined and libera- 

 tion of large numbers of parasites early in the spring where it is 

 desired to carry on a campaign against the stable fly, we can reason- 

 ably expect them to be an important factor in the control of this 

 pest. 



A NEW GENUS OF MALLOPHAGA. 1 



By John Howard Paine. 



Bureau of Entomology, United States Department of 

 Agriculture. 



Through the kindness of the United States Biological Survey,, 

 the writer has been able to make a collection of Mallophaga from 

 bird skins taken in Panama. Among the resulting specimens is 

 a most curious form which is not referable to any of the known 

 genera, and for which, therefore, the founding of a new "genus 

 becomes necessary. 



Ancistrocephalus gen. nov. 



A single male specimen was taken from the skin of a ground 

 dove, Chcemepelia rufipennis (Rio Indio, Canal Zone, March 3, 

 1911). In this specimen the antenna? show but three segments, 

 being most probably due to the loss of the terminal two. This is 

 borne out by the fact that the tip of the third segment, under high 

 magnification, appears unfinished, as though other segments had 

 been attached. The genus therefore, having two-clawed tarsi, 

 falls into the family Philopteridce. Following are given the char- 

 acters of the genus : 



Small species with head broader than long and bearing extremely long hairs on 

 the head and body; these hairs are the longest I have seen on any Mallophagan. 

 Front broad, flattened, almost straight, with lateral angles produced into long, 

 curved, heavily chitinized backward projecting hooklike appendages. Antennae 

 well developed, in the male at least, and arising from deep lateral emarginations, 

 situated before the middle, affording a certain resemblance to some of the mam- 

 mal infesting genera. Temples squarish, bearing extremely long hairs; occiput 

 broad, almost straight. Abdomen broad, segments with posterior lateral angles 

 produced into slightly curved, chitinized processes, giving the lateral edges of the 

 abdomen a highly serrate appearance. Last segment in male entire. 



1 Published by permission of the Chief of the Bureau of Entomology. 



