Oct.,1918 Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 93 
“strain at a gnat and swallow a camel.” The word sarabim 
‘occurs twice and was regarded by the Septuagint as referring to 
some Cstrus or other gadfly. This seems better than the King 
James translation, for the latter disagrees with itself. There is an 
insect called by the Arabs sarran which has the habit of the bot 
flies but the natives think it has a sting in its tail. Perhaps some 
old mythical idea of something halfway between a gadfly and a 
scorpion has prevailed. So far as the import of Ezekiel IT. 6 is 
concerned it makes no difference which it be: “though briars and 
thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions.” It 
does make a difference, however, in Hosea IV. 6: “For Israel 
slideth back as a backsliding heifer.”” Now, a heifer is not as- 
sailed by a scorpion, but it is by a gadfly. 
AN UNDESCRIBED NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF 
HYDROTAA (DIPTERA, ANTHOMYIIDZ). 
By J. R. Mattocu, Urbana, Il. 
The species described herein is in the collection of the Illinois 
State Natural History Survey. 
Hydrotaea cristata sp. n. Male—Black, shining, with a faint bluish 
tinge. Thorax and abdomen with slight whitish pruinescence, the former 
indistinctly vittate, the latter with a very slender dorso-central dark stripe. 
Wings slightly brownish. Squamz white. Knobs of halteres black. 
Eyes bare, separated by less than width across posterior ocelli; arista 
pubescent, cheek narrow, the upper one of the upcurved bristles very 
strong. Thorax with the normal bristles; prealar bristle absent; pre- 
sutural acrostichals consisting of 3 strong pairs. Abdomen similar to that 
of houghi Malloch, the fifth sternite slightly emarginate posteriorly, Fore 
femora with 5-6 long bristles on basal third of postero-ventral surface, a 
group of setule on ventral surface of same part, and 2 stout thorns before 
apical excavation, the inner one much shorter than the outer; fore tibia 
with 3 distinct excavations on ventral surface, the apical one largest; mid 
femora thicker at base than apex, and with a very conspicuous clump of 
bristles on basal fourth ventrally; anterior surface of mid tibia with 
closely placed erect fine hairs from base to apex, posterior surface with 
3 bristles; hind femora with 7-9 bristles on apical half of antero-ventral 
