564 MAJOR E. E. AUSTEN ON TUB 



ferruginous-yellow" (sehr brennend rostgelb), and the same region 

 in A. immanis as "ferruginous." In the type of A. ruhriventris 

 Big. the ground-colour of the first four abdominal fcex'gites is 

 between ferruginous and vinaceous-rufous, while the hind borders 

 of the second and third tergites, and the hind border of tho 

 fourth tergite except its lateral extremities, are black. Of tho 

 three paratypes of A. ruhriventris, one agrees with the type in 

 the coloration of its abdomen, while in the case of the other two 

 the dorsum of the abdomen is reddish-brown. In the series of 

 specimens of F. tahaninus in the National Collection, other than 

 those just mentioned under Bigot's designation Acanthomera 

 ruhriventris, the six males have the dorsum of the abdomen 

 (except its basal angles and the lateral borders of the first three 

 tergites, which are black in this sex) cinnamon-rufous, vinaceoiis- 

 rufous, or ferruginous, while the venter is seal-brown. Of the 

 four females comprised in the same series, one has the dorsxuTi of 

 the abdomen (except the lateral margins, which are black) dull 

 ambei--brown, while in the case of the other three individuals the 

 corresponding region is for the most part blackish-brown ; the 

 venter in each specimen is dark seal-brown. Among the four 

 examples of P. tahaninus in the possession of the Hope Depart- 

 ment, University Museum, Oxford, the two males have the 

 dorsum of the abdomen cinnamon-rufous, apart from the black 

 lateral borders of the first three tergites, and the basal angles of 

 the fourth tergite, which are brown or blackish-brown. In one 

 of the two females in the Oxford collection, the dorsum of the 

 abdomen, with the exception of the small silvery-white spot near 

 each posterior angle of the second and third tergites, is uniformly 

 velvety-black. The corresponding region in the other specimen 

 is brownish black, with an ochraceous-tawny transverse area in 

 the centre of the hind border of the first segment, extending on 

 to the front margin of the second ; on the latter segment there is 

 also a deep, brownish-tawny, transverse band, Avhich is not vei'y 

 sharply defined, and does not reach the lateral extremities of the 

 tergite ; on both the second and third tergites, in front of the 

 hind margin, there is a black transverse band. 



It is interesting to note that, in the case of one of the 

 females of P. tahaninus in the National Collection (the specimen 

 refetred to above as having been taken in Brazil prior to 1849, 

 by Mrs. Noel), the abdomen shows a very heavy infestation by 

 nymphs of a Gamasid mite. The pseudo-parasites, which, in the 

 dried condition at any rate, are light ochraceous-bufF in colour, 

 and measure about 0'4 mm. in length, are present to the number 

 of many hundreds on the dorsal surface of the abdomen, where 

 they are packed so closely as to form large patches, while quantities 

 are to be seen crowded together beneath and partially concealed 

 by the hind margins of the tergites. Further specimens of the 

 mite, although in small numbers as compared with those on the 

 dorsum, are also visible on the venter. The male P. tahaninus 

 taken by the writer at MacapA, R. Amazons, 25. ii. 1896, on 



