1919] Hine: Genus Erax 125 



considered specific. Wiedemann's niger appears to be a rather 

 large female of aestuans. Some Georgia specimens before me 

 measure 26 millimeters and agree with the description of niger. 



Erax apicalis Wiedemann. 



Size variable. Males and females before me are from 14 to 22 

 millimeters in total length; average specimens are about 17 millimeters 

 long. Mystax white with only a few black bristles above, beard silky 

 white. Dorsum of the thorax with very short black pile anteriorly and a 

 sparse arrangement of longer white hairs and black bristles posteriorly, 

 scutellum with rather long white hair on its disc and two black bristles 

 on its apical margin. Wings hyaline, slightly infurcated near the 

 apex. Femora, tarsi and apexes of tibiae black, remainder of tibise 

 bright yellow. Abdomen gray pollinose with a large quadrate black 

 spot on the dorsum of each segment. Male with the last two' abdominal 

 segments silvery but often the anterior one of the two is more or less 

 encroached upon by a black spot. Female with oviduct shining black 

 and near the length of the last four abdominal segments. Lateral 

 view of the hypopygiiun shown in Figure IS. 



The species is southern in range. Specimens from Decatur 

 County, Georgia, collected by Bradley, and from southern 

 Pines, North Carolina, by Manee. 



The trim appearance of the species is notable. The hairs of 

 all parts of the body are shorter and sparser than in cestuans; 

 normally there are only two black bristles at the apex of the 

 scutellum, although some variation may be encountered, and 

 the tibiae are bright yellow instead of brown. 



Wiedemann ascribes the species to North America, but it is 

 presumed his specimen was from the southern part of the 

 country for other species described near it are from Savannah, 

 Georgia. Prof. Comstock is the only recent writer to mention 

 the observation of sepcimens when he records their preying 

 upon larvae of Aletia argillocea in Alabama. 



Macquart described viciniis from Galveston, Texas, and the 

 description suggests that it is the same as apicalis. 



Erax loewii Bellardi. 



Total length 19 millimeters. Mystax black and pale intermixed; 

 beard gray with just a tinge of yellowish, palpi with black hair. Thorax 

 largely gray pollinose with the usual black markings, wings nearly 

 hyaline basally, apical half yellowish, male costa a little dilated, stump 

 of the anterior branch of the third vein short. Legs entirely black, 

 posterior of tibia and tarsal segments golden pilose. Male abdomen 



