1896,] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. lyi 



OXYBELUS SPARIDEUS Ckll— A REJOINDER. 



By William J. Fox. 



In recent papers on Oxybelus ("Psyche," March; " Ent. 

 News, May) Mr. C. F. Baker criticises several determinations 

 of species of that genus made by me for Prof. Cockerell. Inas- 

 much as the material I identified as O. einarginahis was, I think, 

 returned to Prof. Cockerell, I am unable to discuss that deter- 

 mination, but granting an error on my part, it behooves me to 

 take Mr. Baker to task for asserting that " O. sparideus Ckll. 

 (Trans. Amer. Fnt. Soc. xxii, 292) as it stands at present, is a 

 synonym of emarginatus. In a note below the description, Mr. 

 Fox says it differs in the form of the spine and coarser punctur- 

 ing, A detailed drawing of the squamae and spine of sparideus 

 received from Prof. Cockerell, shows the form usual in emargi- 

 natus. The difference in the puncturing as here exhibited would 

 not alone be sufficient to separate them." 



Fortunately the type of O. sparideus was placed by its author 

 in the American Entomological Society's collection, and after a 

 re-examination and comparison with O. emarginatus, I am pre- 

 pared to re-assert all contained in the foot-note above referred to. 

 Overlooking the coarse punctuation, which Mr. Baker considers 

 of no importance, the spine of sparideus is seen to be shorter 

 and broader throughout, and with its lateral margins strongly 

 rounded-out; its emargination is not so deep, and in coloration 

 is reddish testaceous, except at extreme base, whereas in emar- 

 ginatus it is entirely black. In addition, sparideus differs from 

 emarginatus by the continuous pronotal fascia, the yellow spots 

 on scutellum, and the red tip of abdomen; the latter, while oc- 

 curring in the female of emarginatus, is absent in the male. 



Finally, I would suggest the advisability of examining the type 

 or types of a species, if possible, before jumping to conclusions 

 regarding synonymy. If another suggestion be not untimely, 

 and to save Prof. Cockerell' s ability as an artist from criticism, 

 let me add the possibility of Prof Cockerell' s specimen or speci- 

 mens being O. emarginatus . 



Collectors who are also fond of gunning, fishing, sailing, etc., may 

 have a variety of sport and a good time generally, by patronizing our 

 friend, Dr. O. D. Foulks, at Stockton, Md., who advertises in this number. 



