Sept., 'o6] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 247 



testaceous ; ventral segments finely punctured basally, with a few large 

 punctures interspersed ; pygidial area sparsely punctured, slightly con- 

 cave and surrounded by a narrow raised margin. Wings smoky, outer 

 edges and base lighter, iridescent ; marginal cell truncate ; second and 

 third submarginal cells equal at top ; third submarginal cell extending 

 somewhat beyond marginal. 



Described from one 9 specimen, Sioux County, Neb., May. 



Seems to be most nearly related to 7. iarsattis Say, from 

 which it is easily distinguished by the peculiar punctuation of 

 the front, by its smaller size, and by the sculpture of the meta- 

 thorax. In the punctuation of the anterior portion of the 

 mesothorax this species approaches 7. semirufus Cresson, from 

 which it may readily be distinguished by its much darker 

 wings and punctuation. 



Aucistr omnia sericifrons n. sp. 



<$. — Length 6 mm. — Anterior margin of clypeus slightly emarginate 

 medially, outer angles acute ; clypeus rather finely punctured, shining ; 

 front coarse granulate, becoming gradually finer toward the lateral ocelli; 

 vertex finely and closely punctured, the depression behind the ocelli quite 

 strong ; face clothed with a dense mat of short silvery-white pubescence ; 

 space between eyes at top slightly less than length of antennal joints 2 

 and 3 united ; joints i and 2 of flagellum about equal ; mandibles dark 

 basally, rufous apically. Mesonotum finely punctured anteriorly, the 

 punctures becoming coarser on the disk ; scutellum and postscutellum 

 coarsely punctured, entire mesonotum clothed with a thin yellowish 

 white pubescence ; upper face of metathorax comparatively very small, 

 taking the shape of a shield, this face being strongly longitudinally striate, 

 the striae not curving outward as in distincta ; a median longitudinal ridge 

 which is broad basally and gradually narrowed posteriorly, separates the 

 striae ; posterior face transversely striate, with a median depression, and 

 clothed with a silvery pubescence, as are also the metapleura, which are 

 minutely striate. Legs black, strongly spinose, the tarsi reddish. Abdo- 

 men bright red, apical segments black, each segment with a narrow band 

 of punctures, these bands becoming wider on apical segments. Pygidial 

 area coarsely punctured, ventral segments finely punctured, apical plate 

 rounded. Wings hyaline, strongly iridescent ; the 2nd recurrent nervure 

 is received by the 2nd submarginal cell at the middle, the ist is received 

 close to the ist cubital nervure ; marginal cell truncate. 



Described from one % specimen, Glen, Sioux County, Neb., 

 August 22, 1905. 



This is a very distinct and remarkably pretty little species. 

 In Fox's table it will run to A. aurantia Fox, from which it 



