138 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [ April, '07 



definitely. The male then flew away, not to return while I 

 was watching. This same performance, with slight variations, 

 was seen to take place between four different pairs of flies ; but 

 only in the first instance did copulation take place. 



As in many other of the Dolichopodidae, the males of this 

 species have very striking sexual characters, enabling the sexes 

 to be easily recognized, even at some little distance. The 

 long, ribbonlike anal appendages are reddish or orange-yellow, 

 somewhat twisted, and with the tips broadened or spoon- 

 shaped, making, indeed, a very conspicuous flag or pennant. 

 The fore tibiae are somewhat enlarged and furnished distally 

 with a large, blunt protuberance. The spines on the distal 

 half of the middle tibiae tend to become more curly until 

 toward the end there is quite a tuft of curly hairs. 



According to observations made by Dr. Aldrich and others 

 on other species of Dolichopodidae (American Naturalist, 1894, 

 page 35) and according to Darwin's theory of sexual selection, 

 we would expect the male of this species to parade these 

 sexual adornments before the female to attract or excite her. 

 While it is probable that they may serve as recognition marks, 

 enabling her to distinguish a male from another female, they 

 are certainly not paraded before her for this purpose, as in 

 other species. On the contrary, the male seems to take no 

 particular interest in the courtship carried on so aggressively 

 by the female, allowing her to make nearly all the advances. 

 In a few instances the male would alight in front of the 

 female, but seemed to make no effort to display his charms, 

 nor would he begin the rythmical vibration of the wings until 

 the female had evidently in this way first attracted his atten- 

 tion. 



Dr. Aldrich identifies this fly as an undescribed species of 

 Scellas, and describes it under the name of Scellus virago. 

 {Vide anted, page 133.) 



Professor Arthur B. Cordley recently paid a visit to California, 

 where he attended the Hanford Fruit Growers' Convention. 



The fruit growers of Southern California have asked Dr. Howard to 

 delegate some one to investigate the fumigation of citrus trees in that part 

 of the State. This is a very important work, involving interests amount- 

 ing to very large sums. 



