188 



the ovipositor, and tliat the final act of copulation is effected by 

 the sense of touch. Q. E. Webster. 



Eristalis tenax Linn, in America. 



Baron Osten Sacken, in his Catalogue" of Syrphidae (Bull. 

 BuflP. Soc. Nat. Sci.), records the capture of a specimen of this 

 fine fly, so common in Europe, in his room at Cambridge, Nov. 

 1875. Dr. Hagen has lately called my attention to the species, 

 having taken several specimens the present autumn in Cam- 

 bridge. During the ]iast few wrecks I have taken many speci- 

 mens of both sexes in Boston and Beverly, and Mr. S. Hen- 

 shaw has done the same in this vicinity. I have also in my 

 collection two females and a male from Beverly, taken in Octo- 

 ber 1875, and among the Diptera collected in Georgia by Mr. 

 H. K. Morrison is a somewhat soiled female, which seems to 

 belong to the same species. We must therefore regard E. tenax 

 as fairly settled in America. 



The species may be recognized from its large size, 15-16 

 mm. in length, wing 13 mm. long. Face grayish yelloAv, the 

 cheeks and a broad median stripe black ; forehead and occiput 

 black with a grayish spot and hairs between. Antennae dark 

 brown. Eyes with two darker stripes, connected above and 

 below. Thorax clothed with dull tawny hair, a faint trace of 

 pattern showing through. Scutellum brownish yellow, trans- 

 parent. Abdomen black, sparsely clothed with fine yellowish 

 white hair. Second segment with two triangular, more or less 

 distinct, ferruginous spots. Third segment in the male with a 

 faint trace of similar markino;. The segments are maririned 

 with a row of short yellow hairs. Wings clear, somewhat em- 

 browned on the forward margin, and sometimes slightly clouded 

 on the disk. Legs black, knees and anterior metatarsi yellow ; 

 hind tibia? much curved and strongly ciliated. 



Edward Burgess. 



[It is remarkable how rapidly E . tenax has spread over this part of the 

 country. The specimen taken by Baron Osten Sacken, mentioned above, 

 is preserved in the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, and 

 bears date of 5 Nov. 1875. There are also in the same collection two 

 specimens of this species taken by Baron Osten Sacken, labelled Newport, 

 K. I., 22 Oct., and 20 Nov. 187G. 1 have in my collection, besides many 

 taken this season, a male taken 3 Nov. 1876, at Cambridge, Mass., and 

 other collectors have also taken specimens. G. Z).] 



