50 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. [Proc. 3D Skr. 



49. Sympycnus cuprinus, sp. nov. 

 Plate IV, Figs. 99 and 100. 



Male. Length 2.5 mm.; length of wing 2.25 mm. Proboscis small, 

 retracted. Palpi minute, covered with silvery white dust; face broader 

 above than below, where the eyes nearly meet, covered with white dust. 

 Antennae black, first and second joints of the usual shape; third joint a little 

 more than twice as long as broad, rapidly tapering from its base to a sharp 

 point, covered with delicate grayish pile, and having the moderately long 

 pubescent arista inserted near the base on the dorsal side. This side has 

 the appearance of being somewhat excised, so that the pointed tip of the 

 third joint curves up slightly. Front dull black, covered with gray dust. 

 Postocular cilia and a number of hairs on the cheeks, white. Thorax dark 

 blackish green, thickly covered with grayish brown dust; scutellum some- 

 what brighter metallic green. Abdomen metallic green, second to sixth 

 segments broadly cupreous at their bases. Hypopygium cupreous, of mod- 

 erate size, with completely concealed appendages. Pleurae black, thickly 

 covered with slate-colored dust. Coxae concolorous with the pleurae but 

 with yellow tips; fore coxae with several silvery white hairs on their anterior 

 surfaces; middle and hind coxae with white bristles on their outer surfaces. 

 Legs yellow; basal half or two-thirds of fore femora black, hind femora 

 black on the upper surfaces of their distal halves and at the tip; fore and 

 middle tarsi blackened from the tip of the first joint, hind tarsi completely 

 and tips of hind tibiae, black. Fore tibiae not incrassated; fore tarsi about as 

 long as the fore tibiae, first joint a little longer than the second and third 

 joints taken together, second to fifth joints short, subequal; fifth joint some- 

 what thickened, with a pair of conspicuously enlarged pale pulvilli. Hind 

 tarsi plain, with subequal joints. Wings gray, but little narrowed toward 

 their bases. Fourth vein terminating in the tip of the wing, and parallel with 

 the tip of the third vein which bends downward very little. Posterior cross- 

 vein about one- third the length of the distal segment of the fifth vein; sixth 

 vein distinct. Halteres and tegulae yellow, the latter edged with black and 

 bearing long ciUa which appear yellow in some lights, dark brown in others. 



Female. Length 2.5-3 mm.; length of wing 2.5 mm. Proboscis swollen, 

 projecting, piceous. Palpi yellow, rather long and pointed, covered with 

 white dust and bearing a few conspicuous black hairs. Face broad, its lower 

 edge far from reaching the lower corners of the eyes, covered with opaque 

 gray dust. Third antennal joint much shorter than that of the male, scarcely 

 longer than broad, ending in a blunt but distinct point. Coloration of body 

 and legs like that of the male. Fore tarsi plain. Wings darker and some- 

 what broader towards the base than those of the male. 



Numerous specimens of both sexes taken during July 

 in company with Notho sympycnus vegetus near Monterey, 

 Calif. 



