ENTOMOPIITIIOREAE OF THE UNITED STATES. 



183 



Empusa (Entomophthora) variabilis nov. sp. 

 PI. 20, figs. 327-343. 



Conidia usually varying according to the period of their discharge, those first formed 

 being ovoid, short and stout, with a papillate base and broadly rounded apex and meas- 

 uring about 15xll/i. Those formed later are much more elongate, either shaped like 

 a short straight club or strongly curved, and measure 18-30x7-9//, average 25 X 8,,. 

 Conidiophores digitate, having in the mass as a rule a distinctly olive tint. Cystidia in 

 small numbers, slightly tapering, larger than the conidiophores. Secondary conidia like 

 the primary, of two general types. Resting sp>ores unknown. Host attached to sub- 

 stratum by numerous rhizoids. 



Hosts. Diptera: minute gnats of various genera. 



Habitat. North Carolina. 



I have found this small species pretty generally associated with E. conica in Carolina 

 especially at Cullowhee, where it occurred not uncommonly in the beds of wood-brooks 

 and was found by turning over stones or wet pieces of wood in these situations. It sel- 

 dom occurs, in any abundance in one locality, and is very difficult to find from the min- 

 ute size of the insects which it attacks : yet it is almost always recognizable by the olive 

 color of the conidiophores which, though not invariable, usually affords a ready means of 

 separating it from other species with which it may be associated. I know no other spe- 

 cies in which a peculiarity in the tint of the conidiophores as a mass serves as a dis- 

 tinguishing character, although the occurrence of a bright green specimen has been 

 noted in E. sphaerosperma and E. dipterigena. In these cases, however, the colored 

 forms are rare exceptions. The variation of the primary conidia from short-ovoid (fig. 

 343) to straight or curved forms several times longer than broad (figs. 329-342) is a 

 noticeable feature in this species, and led me at first to separate my material into two 

 sets which I considered distinct species. By allowing the discharge of spores to con- 

 tinue for a longer time I have, however, repeatedly seen the longer form replace the 

 shorter one, and I think there can be no doubt of their specific identity. The secondary 

 conidia of the second type are nowise different from these first formed primary conidia. 



The resting spores, I feel confident, I found in one instance; the insect containing them 

 being associated with others bearing conidia. The specimen, which has unfortunately 

 been lost, had produced no conidia so that I was unable to verify this opinion. From 

 memory I can only say that the spores were small in size, decidedly brownish and held 

 together by the hyphae from which they were formed. These hyphae, as in the nearly 

 allied E. rhizospora, seemed somewhat indurated: but they were formed internally, and 

 did not produce the rhizoid-like outgrowths which characterize the last named species. 

 The resemblance of this form to E. curvispora should be noted, many of the spores close- 

 ly resembling those figured by Kowakowski as belonging to this species. 



Empusa (Entomophthora) rhizospora nov. sp. 

 PI. 20, figs. 347-348. 



Conidia, in form, like a straight short club, varying to almost crescent-shaped; very 

 variable, tapering more or less at either extremity, the basal portion of the spore neck-like 



