344 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. | [Vor. XXXV. 
which is evidently homologous to the three apical joints in the 
antennz of the other genera! Such a variation in the 
insertion of the arista is seen also 
in the Phorine. The palpi and 
eyes are very small. The wings are 
shaped much as in Commoptera, but 
are almost free from bristles along 
the costa. The legs are of the usual 
phorid type, and judging from the 
figure the coxze must be exceedingly 
lengthened. 
Nothing whatever was known by 
Loew of the habits of this peculiar 
form, but Wasmann has mentioned it 
('00b) as the guest of a south African 
Fic. 2. — Commoftera venit doryline ant (Dorylus helvolus Linn.). 
pes homes hrar He also includes in his list of the 
guests of the South-American Eciton predator “ Phorid N.G. 
n. sp. (prope P. testacea Lw.), S. Catharina.” 
COMMOPTERA SOLENOPSIDIS (gez. et sp. nov.). 
Female (Figs. 2 and 3). Length 1.5 mm. Abdomen r.or mm. Thorax 
.26 mm. Head .45 mm. Halteres.1g mm. Pale yellow, head somewhat 
darker, and abdomen somewhat lighter, legs concolorous with thorax. Body 
everywhere more or less covered with fine hairs. Head, seen from the side, 
oval Vertex gently descend- 
ing, about two-thirds as long 
as the mesonotum ; face as 
Close to the mouth, in elongate 
vertical depressions which are 
quite shallow. Antenne of 
the usual form, arista termi- 
nal, strongly pubescent. Eyes 
oval, one-half as high as the 
head and two-thirds as wide as 
high, with the ommatidia sep- 
arated and convex. They are 
Fic. 3. — Commoptera wien n.sp. Female, 
ds de 
! Wandolleck speaks of them as antennal joints, but such a nomenclature 
seems inconsistent with the one usually adopted. 
