1916] North American DrosophiUdce 333 



The species resembles D. virilis, n. sp., D. robusta, n. sp., 

 and D. affinis, n. sp. The narrow cheeks and small second oral 

 bristles distinguish it from D. virilis; the small size, brown fore 

 coxffi and yellow markings on abdomen from D. robusta; absence 

 of combs on male tarsi, broad carina and darker thorax from 

 D. affinis. The features that distinguish D. melanica from D. 

 melanissima, n. sp. and D. pseudomelanica, n. sp. are discussed 

 under those species. 



D. melanica is the "species C" of Metz. (1914, Journ. 

 Exper. Zool. 17, p. 52). 



Drosophila melanissima, n. sp. 



cT. Arista with four branches above and two below. Antennae 

 velvety black. Front about one-half width of head, wider above; 

 blackish brown, velvety. Second orbital about one-third other two. 

 Second oral bristle less than one-fourth vibrissa. Carina broad, 

 slightly sulcate below. Face black. Several prominent palpal bristles. 

 Cheeks brownish black; their greatest width about one-third greatest 

 diameter of eyes. Eves with short thick black pile. 



Acrostichal hairs long, in six rows; no prescutellars. Dorsum of 

 thorax, scutellum and pleura brownish black; there is a faint grayish 

 pollinose line extending from the base of the fore coxa to the base of the 

 halter. Legs blackish brown; apical and preapical bristles on first and 

 second tibi^, preapicals on third. 



Abdomen dark blackish brown, slightly polished. 



Wings slightlv brownish, veins brown. Costal index about 4.0; 

 4th vein index about 1.7; 5x index about 1.1 ; 4c index about 0.7. 



Length of body 2mm., wings 2>imm. 



Type collected at Kushla, Alabama, June 22, 1914. 

 In the U. S. National Museum are specimens from Biscayne 

 Bay, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. The females 

 among these agree with the above description. 



This species is very similar to D. melanica, n. sp., and might 

 be considered a color variety of it but for the smaller eyes, 

 broader cheeks and larger oral opening. In color it is decidedly 

 darker than D. melanica. 



Drosophila pseudomelanica, n. sp. 



cf . Arista with five branches above and three below. Antennae 

 brown. Front about one-third width of head, wider above; brownish 

 red. Second orbital scarcely more than a hair. Second oral bristle 

 two-thirds size of first. Carina fiat, rather narrow. Face narrow, 

 brown. Palpi brown, with several prominent bristles. Cheeks brown; 

 their greatest width about one sixth greatest diameter of eyes. Eyes 

 with short pile. 



