10 PROCEEDINGS OP THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol, 7i: 



86. MICROCHIRA APERTA Braner and Bergenstamm 



Paradidyma aperta Beaotie and Beegenstamm, Denk, Wien. Akad. Wiss., 



vol. 60, 1893, p. 127. 

 Microchira mexicana Bbauee and Beegenstamm, Denk. Wien. Akad. Wiss., 



vol. 60, 1893, p. 128.— Aldeich, Annals Ent. Soc. Amer., vol. 18, 1925, 



p. 121. 



One male labeled " Bilimek, Mexico, 1883," undoubted type of the 

 species. This is clearly the male of Microchira mexicana, described 

 by Brauer and Bergenstamm on the following page from a female; 

 I have previously reported on this specimen as indicated above. 

 The male differs from the female principally in the shape of the 

 head, having a narrower and much more prominent front and 

 stouter antennae. The frontals extend in an irregular row down 

 the parafacial to the transverse impression, about to the lower curve 

 of the eye, and are considerably larger and more numerous than in 

 the female; the hairs of the upper parafacial and lower part of 

 parafrontal are coarse and bristly. The third antennal joint is 

 considerably stouter than in the female and nearly four times the 

 second. The arista is thickened on the basal two-fifths and dis- 

 tinctly pubescent. As in the female, the pollen of the head, thorax, 

 and abdomen has a somewhat yellowish cast, especially on the lower 

 part of the head and the last abdominal segment. The male differs 

 from the female in having normal front tarsi with moderately 

 elongated claws and pulvilli. 



The National Museum contains two females of aperta from Fed- 

 eral District, Mexico, collected by E. G. Smyth on August 31, 1922. 



87. HYSTRICIA COPULATA Wiedemann 



Tachina copulata Wiedemann, Auss. Zweifl., vol. 2, 1830, p. 295. 

 Eystricia copulata Beauee and Beegenstamm, Denk. Wien. Akad. Wiss., 

 vol. 58, 1891, p. 409.— Engel, Zool. Jahrb., vol. 43, 1920, p. 306, fig. 



The history of this species is very curious. Wiedemann described 

 it from two Brazilian specimens which he evidently believed had 

 been taken in copulation. He noted that the male had a dark face 

 and blackish beard, while the female had a yellowish face and white 

 beard. Both specimens are before me. His male bears a very old 

 label, probably Wiedemann's, in ink brown with age, " copulata 

 Wied. $ Brasilien," also a Brauer and Bergenstamm label, " Hys- 

 tricia copulata Wied.," and a red label, " Type." The other speci- 

 men, also a male, is labeled " cop. ? " in the same handwriting and 

 brown ink as the preceding ; also " Brasilien " a Brauer and Bergen- 

 stamm label " Willistonia copulata Wied.," and " Coll. Winthem." 



