1929] 
A New Pseudomasaris from California 
77 
highly anthophilous and have the trophi as much modified 
into a proboscis as the Masaridinse . 2 
That the Masaridinse assiduously visit flowers has been 
observed in various parts of the world, but the genus or 
species of plant selected has not often been mentioned. This 
is, however, a point of some biological importance to which 
the attention of future observers should be called. From the 
few definite records it would appear that most of the species 
show a decided preference for flowers with fully-concealed 
nectar and, moreover, have a tendency to be oligotropic. In 
a given locality every species gathers pollen and nectar from 
one or a few species of plants, at least at one particular 
season. 
Time has not allowed me to collect all observations 
scattered in the literature of Masaridinse visiting flowers, 
but the following are believed to be representative for the 
group. In South Africa, according to H. Brauns, the species 
of Celonites, Masariella, Ceramius, and Quartinia all visit 
flowers actively, but the species of plants selected are not 
mentioned. In the Mediterranean Subregion, I have taken 
Quartinia major Kohl at flowers of Chrysanthemum Myconis 
Linnaeus (near Algiers) and Celonites afer Lepeletier at 
those of Echium confusum de Coincy (near Oran) . Dours 
mentions that he took Celonites afer and Jugurtia oraniensis 
(Lepeletier) in Algeria at flowers of Bupleurum maritimum 
Linnseus. Celonites abbreviatus (Villers) was observed by 
H. Loew visiting Calamintha alpina (Linnseus) (at Pon- 
tresina) and by H. Friese on Teucrium montanum Linnseus 
(in Thuringia). In Paraguay, Trimeria howardi Bertoni 
was seen by de Winkelried Bertoni visiting the flowers of 
Talinum patens (Jacquin). Much more complete are the 
observations relating to the North American Pseudomas- 
aris. Some of these have been given above. In addition, P. 
vespoides (Cresson) has been observed by A. Davidson, in 
California, visiting Pentstemon spectabilis Thurber; by 
Cockerell, in New Mexico, eating the pollen of a species of 
Pentstemon ; and by F. E. Clements and F. L. Long, in the 
2 The habits of the Gayellinae (Gayella and Paramasaris) are totally 
unknown. 
