20 Mr. C. H. T. Townsend on Diptera 



A very distinct S])ecies, which approaches in structure 

 P. angustipen7iis, Will. (Dipt. St. Vincent, p. 284), but the 

 wings, while quite as narrow, are not so acutely pointed at 

 tip. Brownish or greyish brown, the thorax clothed with a 

 thick tuft of white hair. A smaller thick tuft of white hair 

 at base of abdomen ; rest of abdomen with short hair, appearing 

 brownish when viewed from above and white when viewed 

 obliquely. Head with some blackish hair. Legs greyish 

 brown. Wings nearly three times as long as greatest width, 

 quite thickly clothed with white or yellowish-white hair, 

 forming a thick fringe on border, which is of even and only 

 moderate length on whole anterior border of wing, but grows 

 gradually longer from tip to base on posterior margin, until 

 at base it lacks but little of being as long as greatest width of 

 wing. The hairs of this longest fringe are directed straight 

 backward at a right angle to long axis of wing. Eight small 

 black spots on margin of wing as follows : — One on front 

 margin at extreme base ; two faint linear central ones on base 

 of wing, indistinctly separated; a large elongate one opposite 

 on inner margin ; two smaller distinct ones opposite each 

 other on margin, one on front, the other on hind margin a 

 little beyond middle of wing; a somewhat less distinct one on 

 extreme tip, and a still less distinct one on hind margin 

 between the apical one and the middle hind-marginal one. 

 The wing-spots are seen -with the compound microscope to 

 touch only the veins, the basal spots appearing as a basal 

 fascia to the wing. Outline of the wing bilaterally sym- 

 metrical, not elongate-pointed at tip, but the margins evenly 

 curved on each side to meet in an acute angle, the curves of 

 apical portion being nearly the same as those of basal portion. 

 Antennae much longer than thorax, reaching to or beyond 

 middle of abdomen, comparatively stout, thickly clothed with 

 white hair. 



This species seems allied to the European P. albipenms^ 

 Zett., the description of which is strikingly similar in some 

 points. But punctatella differs abundantly, not only in other 

 characters but particularly in the spotted wings, the wings of 

 alhipennis being without spots. It may belong in the alhi- 

 pennis group, as would seem to be indicated by the description 

 of the latter in the characters of the elongate antennge, elongate 

 wings, hair and fringe of wings, small size, and general 

 coloration. — I may mention here that I have identified 

 P. alhipunctata, Will., in specimens taken at Frontera, 

 Tabasco. 



