No. 413.] ABERRANT PHORID.£ FROM TEXAS. 345 
placed slightly above the middle of the head. Ocelli large and well 
developed, occupying their usual position in a triangle upon the vertex. 
Palpi as long as eye, small and slender, with the usual macrochaetze which 
are also smaller. Proboscis two 
arge, downwardly directed macro- 
cheta. A pair of closely approxi- 
mated, anteriorly directed bristles on 
anterior margin of front; another 
posteriorly directed pair on the poste- 
rior margin of the head ; and a third 
outwardly directed pair near the 
posterio-lateral corners of the head. 
Mesonotum somewhat wider than long, 
with four outwardly directed marginal macrochætæ on each side. Scutellum 
small, convex, much rounded behind, less so in front, projecting somewhat 
over the metathorax behind, with a pair of strong approximated median 
macrochetz. Posterior part of metathorax produced back into the abdomen 
like a very large scutellum. Seen from the side the thorax is oval, not much 
larger than the head. The anterior coxa are exceedingly large and freely 
movable. The other coxæ smaller, more or less connate with the thorax, 
the hind pair extending back beneath the base of the abdomen. Protho- 
racic stigma large and distinct. Wings short, less than one-third as long 
as the body, rather narrow and pointed, subtriangular in outline (Fig. 5). 
Along the costa are two rows of stout macrochætæ ; elsewhere the wings 
are covered with fine, short hairs. Veins not sharply distinguishable from 
the surrounding membrane, consisting of two longitudinal veins which coa- 
lesce at the tip of the wing. 
"Toward the base of the 
wing the first furcates, as 
does also the second. The 
anterior branch of the 
x second vein unites with 
gor Se the posterior branch of the 
Mur 5 first. Posterior branch of 
Fic. 5.— Comntoftera solenopsidis, n. sp. second vein evanescent. 
mone eme Two vestigial posterior 
veins are present also. Halteres immediately behind the wings large, 
consisting of three distinct joints, the basal two small, quadrate ; the third, 
large, Stout, oval (Fig. 5). The third joint is almost as large as the palpi 
and flattened behind, so that a sharp edge separates the plane part from 
the remainder of the joint. Abdomen elongate oval, somewhat depressed, 
finely hairy, membranous except for the small dorsal plates, which are 
extremely rudimental. The first is a wide band, extending only one-third 
Fic. 4. — Mouth-parts of Commoptera 
solenofsidis,n. sp. a, ventral view; 
4, lateral view. 
