PROCEEDINGS r~7 OF THE Biological Society of Washington VOLUME 30 1917 / ?L i U v WASHINGTON PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS CHAS. W. RICHMOND, Chairman W. L. McATEE NED DEARBORN J. H. RILEY Press of H. L. & J. B. McQueen. Inc. Washington, D. C. OFFICERS AND COUNCIL OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON For 1917 (ELECTED DECEMBER 16, 1916) OFFICERS President W. P. HAY Vice-Presidents J. N. ROSE A. D. HOPKINS HUGH M. SMITH VERNON BAILEY Recording Secretary MARCUS W. LYON, Jr. Corresponding Secretary W. L. McATEE Treasurer NED DEARBORN COUNCIL PAUL BARTSCH* FREDERICK V. COVILLE* WILLIAM H. DALL* B. W. EVERMANN* J. W. GIDLEY E. A. GOLDMAN N. HOLLISTER L. 0. HOWARD* FRANK H. KNOWLTON* F. A. LUCAS* C. HART MERRIAM* E. W. NELSON* T. S. PALMER* WILLIAM PALMER L. STEJNEGER* ALEXANDER WETMORE DAVID WHITE* STANDING COMMITTEES— 1917 Committee on Communications William Palmer, Chairman Alexander Wetmore R. E. Coker W. L. McAtee Committee on Publications Chas. W. Richmond, Chairman Ned Dearborn L. 0. A. S. Howard Hitchcock J. H. Riley * Ex- Presidents of the Society. (iii) EX-PRESIDENTS OP THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON *Theodore N. Gill, 1881, 1882 ♦Charles A. White, 1883, 1884 *G. Brown Goode, 1885, 1886 William H. Dall, 1887, 1888 *Lester F. Ward, 1889, 1890 C. Hart Merriam, 1891, 1892 *C. V. Riley, 1893, 1894 *Geo. M. Sternberg, 1895, 1896 L. 0. Howard, 1897, 1898 Frederick V. Coville, 1899, 1900 F. A. Lucas, 1901, 1902 B. W. Evermann, 1903, 1904 F. H. Knowlton, 1905, 1906 L. Stejneger, 1907, 1908 T. S. Palmer, 1909, 1910 David White, 1911 E. W. Nelson, 1912, 1913 Paul Bartsch, 1914, 1915 * Deceased. (iv) TABLE OF CONTENTS Officers and Committees for 1917 iii Proceedings for 1917 ix-xv A New Cuckoo from New Zealand, by Alexander Wetmore . . . 1-2 Preliminary Diagnoses of Apparently New Birds from Colombia and Bolivia, by W. E. Clyde Todd 3-6 A New Starfish from the Magellanic Region, by Austin H. Clark 7-8 New Bulimulus from the Galapagos Islands and Peru, by Wil- liam Healey Dall 9-12 Two New Ophiurans from the China Sea, by Austin H. Clark . 13-16 New Names in Amygdalus, by P. L. Ricker ....... . . 17-18 A Fossil Tsetse Fly and other Diptera from Florissant, Colorado, by T. D. A. Cockerell 19-22 The Asteroid Genus Coronaster, by Walter K. Fisher 23-26 Description of a New Sialia from Mexico, by Harry C. Oberholser . 27-28 A New Subspecies of Meadow Mouse from Wyoming, by Vernon Bailey 29-30 A New Species of Horned Tree-Toad from Panama, by Leonhard Stejneger 31-34 Notes on a Collection of Fishes from the Head of Chesapeake Bay, by Lewis Radcliffe and W. W. Welsh 35-42 New Genera and Species of American Muscoid Diptera, by Charles H. T. Townsend 43-50 The Cowhage and Related Species, by Charles V. Piper .... 51-62 Four New Echinoderms from the West Indies, by Austin H. Clark 63-70 Preliminary Descriptions of Five New Species of Crustaceans from the Coast of North Carolina, by W. P. Hay 71-74 Mutanda Ornithologica. I, by Harry C. Oberholser .... 75-76 A New Aphis-feeding Aphelinus, by L. O. Howard 77-78 Descriptions of Fossil Insects, by T. D. A. Cockerell ...... 79-82 A Review of the Genus Pedioecetes in Colorado, by F. C. Lincoln 83-86 The Two Forms of Red Spelerpes Occurring at Raleigh, N. O, by C. S. Brimley 87-88 New Starfishes from the Philippines and Celebes, by Walter K. Fisher • • • 89-94 The Porto Rican Grasshopper Sparrow, by James L. Peters . . . 95-96 Notes on the Herpetology of the Virgin Islands, by Thomas Barbour 97-104 Description of a New Race of Say's Ground Squirrel from Wyom- ing, by Arthur H. Howell 105-106 New Mammals from North and Middle America, by E. A. Goldman 107-116 A New Honey-Eater from the Marianne Islands, by Alexander Wetmore 117-118 Description of a New Genus of Anatidae, by Harry C. Oberholser . 119-120 (v) f\ d'/j-S' vi Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. General Notes 121-124 A Hooded Seal in Florida, by Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., 121; Autumn Water-Bird Records at Washington, D. C, by Harry C. Oberholser, 122; Piranga rubra rubra in Colorado, by Harry C. Oberholser, 122; The Black Vulture in the District of Columbia and Maryland, by N. Hollister, 123; The Sala- mander Genus Ranodon in North America, by Leonhard Stejneger, 123-124. Mutanda Ornithologica. II, by Harry C. Oberholser 125-126 New Genera, Species, and Subspecies of South American Birds, by W. E. Clyde Todd 127-130 Additions to the Haitian Avifauna, by Paul Bartsch 131-132 On Some North American Species of Microdon. [Diptera: Syrphi- dae. ] , by Frederick Knab 133-144 New Genera of Deep- Water Gurnards (Peristediidae) from the Philippine Islands, by Hugh M. Smith 145-146 Two New Pocket Mice from Wyoming, by E. A. Goldman . . 147-148 A New Shrew from Nova Scotia, by Hartley H. T. Jackson . . 149-150 Three New Starfish and One New Brittle-Star from Chile, by Austin H. Clark 151-158 Notes on Maine Mammals, by Manton Copeland and Alton S. Pope 159-160 Selaginella funiformis, a New Species in the S. rupestris Group, by G. P. Van Eseltine 161-162 A New Antillean Sphaerodactylus, by Thomas Barbour 163-164 Two Undescribed West Indian Bats, by Glover M. Allen .... 165-170 Two New Astroradiate Echinoderms from the Pacific Coast of Colombia, and Ecuador, by Austin H. Clark 171-174 Notes on Canavalia with the Descriptions of New Species, by Charles V. Piper 175-178 Notes on Western Species of Pellaea, by William R. Maxon . . 179-184 Description of a New Subspecies of Perisoreus obscurus, by Harry C. Oberholser 185-188 Genera of the Dipterous Tribe Sarcophagini, by Charles H. T. Townsend 189-198 Table of Contents. vii PLATES. I. Facing p. 84. Feathers from Three Subspecies of Pedioecetes. The Committee on Publications declares that each paper of this volume was distributed on the date indicated on its initial page. The Index, title page, and minutes of meetings for 1917 (pp. i-xv; 199-203) were issued on February 21, 1918. Vol. 30, pp. ix-xv PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON PROCEEDINGS. The Society meets in the Assembly Hall of the Cosmos Club on alternate Saturdays at 8 p. m. January 13, 1917— 563d Meeting.* President W. P. Hay in the chair, 45 persons present. W. L. McAtee and Alexander Wetmore called attention to the presence of white-winged crossbills in the vicinity of Wash- ington. W. L. McAtee mentioned the lingering of a Cape May warbler and a blue gray gnatcatcher into December and the finding of a box turtle on January 7, 1917. E. A. Goldman reported Hudsonian chickadees in the vicinity of New York City and Boston. A. S. Hitchcock spoke of the precautions that were being taken in the care of the herbarium of the British Museum. The regular program consisted of three communications as follows : Some European Experiences with Entomologists; L. O. Howard . Recent Additions to the List of North American Birds ; H. C. Oberholser. The Fossil Seacow of Maryland ; Wm. Palmer. January 27, 1917— 564th Meeting.! President Hay in the chair, 45 persons present. Dr. O. P. Hay showed a metacarpal of a horse with well * Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 7, pp.118 to 120, February 19, 1917; and in Science, N. S., vol. 45, pp. 343, 344, April 6, 1917. t Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 7, pp. 165, 166, March 19, 1917; and in Science, N. S., vol. 45, pp. 367, 368, April 13. 1917. (ix) x Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. developed lateral metacarpals and a specimen of three fused metacarpals of a cow. W. L. McAtee and Alexander Wetmore made remarks as to certain misconceptions of notes of birds and as to a theory of migration of birds. Dr. L. 0. Howard commented on a recently held anti- mosquito convention in New Jersey. The regular program consisted of two communications as follows : Exploitation of Neglected Aquatic Resources ; H. M. Smith. Showers of Organic Matter ; W. L. McAtee. February 10, 1917— 565th Meeting.* President Hay in the chair, 30 persons present. The regular program consisted of two communications as follows : A Mortality of Fishes on the West Coast of Florida; H. F. Taylor. Changes in the Avifauna about Burlington, Iowa, 1885 to 1917; Paul Bartsch. February 24, 1917— 566th Meeting.! President Hay in the chair, 50 persons present. Dr. M. W. Lyon, Jr., called attention to Smallwood's com- pilation of the International Rules of Zoological Nomenclature. Dr. R. W. Shufeldt communicated a short paper, " Notes on the Trunk-fishes, "t and exhibited a specimen of Lactophrys tricornis. Dr. L. 0. Howard commented on the parent tree of an unus- ually fine variety of oranges. Mr. Win. Palmer commented on the recent 'freeze" in Florida. The regular program consisted of three communications as follows : A Pioneer Naturalist in Southern Florida. — Extracts from the Diary of Titian R. Peale, 1825 ; T. S. Palmer. * Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. ScL, vol. 7, pp. 166, 167, March 19, 1917; and in Science, N. S., vol. 45, pp. 367, 368, April 13, 1917. t Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 7, pp. 201, 202, April 4, 1917; and in Science, N. S., vol. 45, p. 594, June 8, 1917. t Published in Brooklyn Aquarium Society " Bulletin," vol. 3, no. 9, May, 1917, pp. 2, 3, figs. 1, 2. Proceedings. xi Some Notes on the Aleyrodidae ; A. L. Quaintance. The Shad and its Relatives in the Mississippi River ; Emerson Stringham (introduced by R. E. Coker). March 10, 1917— 567th Meeting.* President Hay in the chair, 45 persons present. Dr. H. M. Smith exhibited a manuscript and hand illustrated book dealing with beetles. President W. P. Hay presented some notes on flying squirrels. Dr. H. E. Ames called attention to a newspaper clipping recording the flight of two tagged ducks. The regular program consisted of two communications as follows : Precipitins; M. W. Lyon, Jr. Porpoises and Steamers ; William Palmer. March 24, 1917— 568th Meeting.! President Hay in the chair, 31 persons present. Dr. L. 0. Howard reported that the book presented by Dr. Smith at the 567th meeting was a handmade copy of all the descriptions of the North American beetles contained in a large French monograph dealing with that group of insects. Three communications were presented for the regular pro- gram as follows : Notes on Aplodontia ; \V. P. Taylor. The Extraordinary Strepsipterous Type of Parasitism; W. D wight Pierce. Zoological Statuary at the National Capital ; R. W. Shufeldt. April 7, 1917— 569th Meeting. X President Hay in the chair, 45 persons present. Dr. R. W. Shufeldt exhibited lantern slides of living Califor- nia quail. Dr. L. 0. Howard called attention to a specimen of the cocoon of a Cecropia moth containing moonstones. A. Wetmore stated that he had seen blue jays insert small acorns and kernels of corn into large cocoons. • Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 7, pp. 239, 240, April 19, 1917; and in Science, N. 8., vol. 45, p. 464, May 11, 1917. t Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 7, pp. 271-273, May 4, 1917. X Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 7, pp. 315, 316, May 19, 1917; and in Science, N. S., vol. 45, p. 618, June 15, 1917. xii Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. The regular program consisted of two communications as follows : A Note on the Hibernation of the Mud-Turtle; Alexander Wetmore and Francis Harper. Botanizing in the Hawaiian Islands; A. S. Hitchcock.* April 21, 1917— 570th Meeting.t President Hay in the chair, 35 persons present. The regular program consisted of two communications as follows : Notes on American Flying Squirrels ; A. H. Howell. On the Finding of Supposed Pleistocene Human Remains at Vero, Florida; 0. P. Hay. May 5, 1917— 571st Meeting.* President Hay in the chair, 25 persons present. President Hay exhibited a lantern slide of some very imma- ture flying squirrels. The regular program consisted of two communications as follows : The Influence of Cold in Stimulating the Growth of Plants; F. V. Coville. The Rate of Growth in Certain Lower Vertebrates ; W. P. Hay. October 20, 1917— 572d Meeting.^ President Hay in the chair, 42 persons present. General T. E. Wilcox presented a brief note on the occur- rence of the California vulture in Idaho. Dr. R. W. Shufeldt exhibited a specimen of the " gopher," Testudo polyphemus . Dr. L. O. Howard referred to the peculiar insect fauna found in the burrows of the " gopher." President Hay referred to the peculiar species of frog found in the burrows of the " gopher." Dr. T. S. Palmer remarked on bird roosts lately seen in the vicinity of Washington. ♦Published in Sci. Month., vol. 5, pp. 323 to 349, October, 1917; and pp. 417-432, November, 1917. t Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci.. vol. 7, pp. 358-360, June 4, 1917. t Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 7, p. 394, June 19, 1917. § Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 8, pp. 25-27, January 4, 1918. Proceedings. xiii Mr. W. L. McAtee exhibited six rare bird papers. Mr. Wm. Palmer made comments on the above papers; Lieut. M. W. Lyon, Jr., commented on the occurrence of several cases of hookworm infestation lately seen by him. The regular program consisted of three communications as follows: A Key to Ornithological Literature; T. S. Palmer. The Alpine Flora of the Adirondacks and the White Moun- tains; A. S. Hitchcock. Notes on some United States Batrachians; R. W. Shufeldt. November 3, 1917— 573d Meeting.* President Hay in the chair, 58 persons present. Dr. T. S. Palmer called attention to the centennial of the first botanical society in the vicinity of Washington . Dr. L. 0. Howard called attention to the centennial of the Medical Society of the District of Columbia. Dr. H. M. Smith reported the results of the fur seal census taken in the Pribilofs during the past summer. Mr. C. Birdseye remarked on the waste of seal meat by sealers on the northeast coast of North America. Lieut. M. W. Lyon, Jr., exhibited a photograph of a case of congenital absence of kidney. t Mr. Wm. Palmer exhibited a sectioned tympanic bone of a whale. The regular program consisted of three communications as follows : An Unusual Human Specimen; Rear- Admiral G. W. Baird. How the Pine Squirrels help to Feed the Bears of the Yellow- stone Park ; Vernon Bailey. The Fur Industry of Labrador ; C. Birdseye. November 17, 1917— 574th Meeting.; President Hay in the chair, 78 persons present. Dr. R. W. Shufeldt exhibited two grasshoppers, the black Louisiana form of Rhomaleum micropterum, and a specimen of the same species from Florida. * Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 8, pp. 27, 28, January 4, 1918. t Published in Anat. Rec. vol. 13, pp. 303, 304, October 20, 1917. t Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 8, pp. 40, 41, January 19, 1918. xiv Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. The regular program was a symposium on ' ' Recently Intro- duced Pests and the Problem of Accidental Introduction," and consisted of four communications as follows : The Pink Bollworm of Cotton ; C. L. Marlatt. Recently Introduced Fruit Insects ; A. L. Quaintance. Some Biological Aspects of the Spread of the White Pine Blister Rust; Perley Spaulding. Some Points for Consideration in a Discussion of the Problem of Accidental Introductions ; L. 0. Howard. December 1, 1917— 575th Meeting.* President Hay in the chair, 26 persons present. Dr. Walter P. Taylor exhibited and discussed the distribution of marmots from the State of Washington. Alexander Wetmore discussed the peculiar molting in ducks. Dr. T. S. Palmer called attention to the recent successful meeting of the A. O. U. Dr. L. 0. Howard called attention to a recent article in a French scientific journal giving analysis of bread found on a captured Zeppelin, as compared with that taken from German prisoners. W. P. Hay exhibited lantern slides of the marine turtles of eastern North America and gave an account of their habits, distinctive characters, and uses to man. Alexander Wetmore remarked on red bats seen November 17, 1917. The regular program consisted of two communications as follows : Haak as Author of Brisson's 1762 Edition of Regnum Ani- male ; Charles Wardell Stiles ; (Paper presented by Dr. T. S. Palmer, under the title The Author of Brisson's 1762 Edition of Regnum Animale, in the absence of Dr. Stiles, who was called away on war service) . The Relative Resistance of the Red Blood Corpuscles of the Sheep, Ox and Hog; Lieut. M. W. Lyon, Jr.t * Abstracts in Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 8, pp. 41, 42, January 19, 1918. + Published in Journ. Infectious Dis., vol. — , pp. , January, 1918. Proceedings. xv December 15, 1917— 576th Meeting. THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING. President Hay in the chair, 19 persons present. The annual reports of officers and committees were received. The following officers were elected for the year 1918: President: J. N. Rose. Vice-Presidents: A. D. Hopkins, H. M. Smith, Vernon Bailey, Ned Hoi lister. Recording Secretary : M. W. Lyon, Jr. Corresponding Secretary : W. L. McAtee. Treasurer : Ned Dearborn . Members of Council : J. W. Gidley, Wm. Palmer, Alex. Wetmore, E. A. Goldman, A. S. Hitchcock. President Rose was nominated by the Society as a Vice- President of Washington Academy of Sciences. President Rose appointed as Committee on Publications for 1918 : C. W. Richmond, J. H. Riley, Ned Dearborn, W. L. McAtee; and as Committee on Communications for 1918 : Wil- liam Palmer, Alexander Wetmore, R. E. Coker, L. 0. Howard, A. S. Hitchcock. ^ /f2>/£4' Vol. 30, pp. 1-2 January 22, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW CUCKOO FROM NEW ZEALAND. BY ALEXANDER WETMORE. While comparing specimens of Urodynamis taitensis (Sparr- man) it was found that those from New Zealand differ markedly from birds from Polynesia. As there is no name available for this New Zealand race, hitherto unrecognized, it may be known as Urodynamis taitensis pheletes subsp. nov. Characters. — Similar to Urodynamis taitensis taitensis but more heavily streaked below (especially on the breast and sides of the neck) and with the under parts more buffy. Description. — Type, female adult, Catalogue No. 124653, Collection U. S. National Museum, from Otago Province, New Zealand, collector, W. Smythe. Above fuscous black with crossbars on back and wings varying from vinaceous-cinnamon to cinnamon; head and neck streaked with light pinkish cinnamon; tail barred heavily with cinnamon (the dark and light bars equal in width), tipped with white; wing coverts tipped irregularly with white or buff; secondaries and inner primaries tipped with white; superciliary stripe pinkish buff anteriorly, paler behind the eye; under parts white tinged with cream color; breast and sides streaked boldly with long streaks of fuscous black ; flanks and thighs buffy with broad bars of fuscous black ; sides of the neck with broad cinnamon borders on the dark longitudinal streaks, these cinna- mon edgings faintly indicated on the upper breast; throat with faintly indicated cinnamon streaks. Measurements (of type). — Wing, 190 mm.; tail, 234; exposed culmen, 26; tarsus, 35.5; middle toe with claw, 30. Range. — New Zealand. (Specimens examined from Auckland, Rem- uera and the Province of Otago. ) Remarks. — The adult of this form is readily distinguished from Urody- namis t. taitensis (from Funafuti, Ellice Islands) by its more buffy and more heavily streaked under parts. Immature birds are much darker and more buffy below than young birds from Fiji and the Samoan Islands. In addition they have the ground color of the back darker. 1— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (1) 2 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Sparnnan in his original description* does not give the type locality of his Cuculus taitensis, but this has been fixed by Rothschild and Hartert t as Tahiti. Cuculus lahitius Gmelin * is assigned by the de- scriber to the Society Islands. Mathews, § moreover, has designated Tahiti as the type locality. Vieillot |l does not state where the material upon which he founded his Cuculus perlatus was secured, but this again is fixed by Mathews (1. c. ) as Tahiti. Cuculus fasciatus of Forster IT comes from Huaheine and Otaheite. It also is assigned definitely to Tahiti by Mathews (1. c). The type of Eudynamys cuneicauda Peale (which is preserved in the U. S. National Museum) comes from Ovalau in the Fiji Islands. It is an immature individual of U. t. taitensis. No other names seem to have been applied to these cuckoos. In separating the form from New Zealand an adult cuckoo from Funa- futi Atoll in the Ellice group, an immature bird from the Samoan Islands and Peale's type from Ovalau in the Fiji group have been taken as repre- senting U. t. taitensis. It seems probable that with more material other races will be apparent from Polynesia where these cuckoos have a wide range and where they are stated to be resident in many localities. *Mus. Carlson., II, 1787, No. XXXII. + Nov. Zool., XII, 1905, p. 258. X Syst. Nat., I, Pt. 1, 1788, p. 412. $ List of Birds of Australia, London, 1913, p. 321. II Nouv. Diet, d' Hist. Nat., VIII, 1817, p. 232. VDescr. An., 1844, p. 160. Vol. 30, pp. 3-6 January 22, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSES OF APPARENTLY NEW BIRDS FROM COLOMBIA AND BOLIVIA. BY W. E. CLYDE TODD. The present paper is the fifth of the series to appear in these Proceedings giving brief preliminary descriptions of the appar- ently new birds received from time to time by the Carnegie Museum from tropical America. The author has again to acknowledge his indebtedness to Mr. Harry C. Oberholser for advice and assistance in working out certain of these forms, and to thank the authorities of several different institutions for the loan of material for use in this connection. All measurements are in millimeters, and the names of colors are as given in Mr. Robert Ridgway's " Color Standards and Color Nomenclature." Phoenicothraupis rubiginosus sp. nov. Adult male very similar to the same sex of Phoenicothraupis salvini salvini von Berlepsch, but slightly darker in general coloration. Adult female resembling that of Phoenicothraupis fuscicauda Cabanis, but every- where much brighter and yellower, less brownish. Type No. 52,057, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Turbaco, Bolivar, Colombia, January 9, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Ostinops decumanus melanterus subsp. nov. Similar to Ostinops decumanus decumanus (Pallas) of Guiana, etc., but general coloration decidedly darker and blacker, with little or no chestnut tipping to the feathers of the upper and under parts. Type No. 42,045, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Las Vegas, Santa Marta, Colombia, May 2S, 1913; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Ostinops sincipitalis australis subsp. nov. Similar to Ostinops sincipitalis sincipitalis Cabanis, but upper parts duller brown, yellow of forehead paler and more restricted, under parts 2— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (3) 4 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. more decidedly suffused with brown, and size smaller. Differs from 0. sincipitalis neglectus Chapman in its smaller size, more brownish suffusion of the upper and under parts, paler yellow forehead, and in particular in the dull greenish (instead of rich deep yellow) color of the bill. Type No. 51,486, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Buenavista, Bolivia, August 14, 1915; Jose Steinbach. Icterus mesomelas carrikeri subsp. nov. Similar to Icterus mesomelas taczanowskii Ridgway in size and general coloration, but with the white outer margins of the remiges very narrow or wanting, as in Icterus mesomelas salvinii Cassin. Type No. 49,711, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Fundacion, Santa Marta, Colombia, October 18, 1915; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Myiobius modestus suffusus subsp. nov. Similar to Myiobius modestus modestus Todd, but under parts decidedly more yellowish, less buffy, especially on the under tail-coverts. Type No. 52,134, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Turbaco, Bolivar, Colombia, January 13, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Attila caniceps sp. nov. Pileum dull grayish, with obscure narrow shaft-streaks of dusky, the lores flecked with white; sides of neck and back dull olive citrine, shaded posteriorly with Dresden brown, and passing into pale wax yellow on the rump and upper tail-coverts; tail dull brown (between Brussels brown and raw umber); primaries dusky, with narrow external margins of grayish; secondaries dusky, externally margined with Dresden brown, the inner ones wholly of this color; wing-coverts dusky, tipped with buckthorn brown ; chin and upper throat obscurely streaked with grayish white and dusky brown ; lower throat and breast dull yellowish citrine, fading into white on the abdomen, all these parts with obscure dusky streaks; flanks and under tail-coverts pale lemon yellow, more or less shaded with buffy; under wing-coverts yellow ocher. Type No. 52,736, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Jaraquiel, Bolivar, Colombia, March 3, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Attila neoxenus sp. nov. Above dark citrine, brighter on the pileum, which is narrowly streaked with black, and passing into orange citrine posteriorly; rump and upper tail-coverts empire yellow; tail rather dark Dresden brown; wings dusky, the secondaries more or less margined externally with dark olive buff, the wing-coverts tipped with dull buffy yellow; throat, breast, and sides of head obscurely streaked with citron yellow and serpentine green ; abdo- men white, passing into amber yellow on the flanks and under tail- coverts ; under wing-coverts Naples yellow. Todd — Diagnoses of Neic Birds from Colombia and Bolivia. 5 Type No. 51,152, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Rio Yapa- cani, Bolivia, February 18, 1915; Jose Steinbach. Microrhopias melanogastris Hiaca subsp. nov. Decidedly larger than either Microrhopias melanogastris melanogastris (Pelzeln) or M. m. bahix (Hellmayr), and with the flanks in the male more extensively white. Wing (type) 57; tail, 62; bill, 13.5. Type No. 51,582, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Villa Montes, Rio Pilcomayo, Bolivia, October 7, 1915; Jose Steinbach. Xiphocolaptes obsoletus sp. nov. Somewhat resembling Xiphocolaptes emigrans costaricensis Ridgway, but general coloration much darker, between Brussels brown and raw umber; the pileum and sides of the head deep brown or blackish, with bufly streaking; under parts more distinctly streaked, especially an- teriorly; bill shorter, stouter, and paler. Wing (type), 144; tail, 117; bill, 46; tarsus, 29. Type No. 50,881, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult female; Rio Yapacani, Bolivia, September 21, 1914; Jose Steinbach. Xiphocolaptes procerus rostratus subsp. nov. Similar to Xiphocolaptes procerus procerus Cabanis and Heine, but averaging larger, the bill especially being proportionately longer and stouter; coloration decidedly more rufescent, less olivaceous ; and streak- ing of under parts wider and more conspicuous. Type No. 52,771, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Jaraquiel, Bolivar, Colombia, March 4, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Xiphocolaptes major obscurus nom. nov. The above name is proposed to replace the recently described Xipho- colaptes major saturatus Cherrie (Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., XXXV, 1916, 187), which name is preoccupied by Xiphocolaptes saturatus Ridg- way, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. , XII, 1890, 14, in text. Phseochroa cuvierii notia subsp. nov. Similar to Phseochroa cuvierii cuvierii (Delattre and Bourcier), but outer rectrices with much more extended white tips, and without any blue-black subterminal band. Type No. 52,769, Collection Carnegie Museum, subadult male; Turbaco, Bolivar, Colombia, January 15, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Celeus innotatus sp. nov. Nearest apparently to Celeus loricatus (Reichenbach), from which it differs in having the spotting of the upper and under parts, wings, etc., very much reduced both in size and extent, leaving only a few small spots on the breast and upper back in adult males. 6 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Type No. 52,769, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Jaraquiel, Bolivar, Colombia, March 4, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Bubo virginianus elutus subsp. nov. Similar to Bubo virginianus scotinus Oberholser, but upper parts much paler, less rufescent, and legs more heavily mottled with dusky. From Bubo virginianus mesembrinus (Oberholser) it differs markedly in its much less deeply rufescent coloration, both above and below. Type No. 52,583, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult female; Lorica, Bolivar, Colombia, February 17, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Pyrrhura subandina sp. nov. Adult similar to immature Pyrrhura luciani Deville, but entire loral region crimson instead of mostly maroon; forehead (except for a narrow crimson frontal band) bluish; cheeks mostly bluish instead of maroon; blue nuchal band broader and less mixed with green ; red color of rump and abdomen somewhat darker and duller, and under parts in general more tinged with bluish. Type No. 52,830, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Jaraquiel, Bolivar, Colombia, March 7, 1916; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Eupsychortyx cristatus littoralis subsp. nov. Similar to Eupsychortyx cristatus horvathi von Madarasz, but upper back averaging less decidedly rufescent ; superciliary and malar stripes much mixed with antique brown, and lower throat also more or less tinged with the same color. Type No. 38,151, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Mamotoco, Santa Marta, Colombia, August 28, 1911 ; M. A. Carriker, Jr. Eupsychortyx decoratus sp. nov. Similar in general to Eupsychortyx leucopogon Gould, but somewhat paler above, and the entire throat rich orange chestnut, leaving only the extreme chin whitish or buffy. Breast orange chestnut, concolor with the throat, spotted with black and white, the sides and flanks very heavily marked with orange chestnut. Type No. 51,975, Collection Carnegie Museum, adult male; Calamar, Bolivar, Colombia, January 1, 1916, M. A. Carriker, Jr. Vol. 30, pp. 7-8 January 22, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW STARFISH FROM THE MAGELLANIC REGION. BY AUSTIN H. CLARK.* The new starfish described below was dredged by the "Alba- tross " on her voyage from the Atlantic into the Pacific. It represents a type hitherto not known from the Magellanic por- tion of the subantarctic belt. Family ODONTASTERID.E Verrill. Odontaster propinquus new species. Five arms; R=29mm.; r=14 mm. ; R:r==2.1:l; superomarginals 17. This form agrees most minutely with 0. elongatus (Sladen) from Kerguelen, Marion and Heard Islands, excepting in having much shorter arms and no pseudopedicellarue. It will probably prove to be a Magel- lanic variety of that species. Type.— Cat. No. 36,976, U. S. N. M., from "Albatross" Station 2771, off southeastern South America, in 50)4 fathoms. Published with the permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 3— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (7) Vol. 30, pp. 9-12 January 22, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NEW BULIMULUS FROM THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS AND PERU. BY WILLIAM HEALEY DALL. Among some alcoholic specimens collected by the "Albatross" at the Galapagos Islands in 1887-8, were two small specimens belonging to the section Naesiotus which were overlooked at the time of Dr. Stearns' report of 1893.* Being engaged on a report on a collection made during the California Academy of Sciences Galapagos Expedition of 1905-6, it seemed proper to describe the above mentioned species in order that they might be included in the general summary of the landshell fauna. Bulimulus (Naesiotus) saeronius n. sp. Shell very small, smooth, short-conic, the last whorl much the largest, five-whorled, the apex dimpled, the apical whorl delicately transversely striated, the suture deep, widening and becoming channelled on the last whorl; the whorl in front of it minutely crenulately marginated; color pale straw yellow, with an obscure, darker, narrow peripheral band on the last whorl; base rounded, more or less transversely wrinkled, with a narrow umbilical perforation; margin of aperture continuous, sharp, expanded, internally thickened; pillar lip white, very solid, with a prominent median tubercle; body with a relatively large, prominent tooth, which is but little prolonged into the interior of the whorl; the outer lip has no callosity. Height, 7.0; max. diameter. 4.5; height of last whorl, 4.5; of the aperture, 3 mm. Indefatigable Island, Galapagos group. U. 8. Str. Albatross. Cat. No. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 274,097. Of the group of species with a denticulated aperture which is peculiar to this island, this is the smallest. * Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. XVI. No. 942. 4— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (9) 10 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Bulimulus (Naesiotus) trogonius n. sp. Shell small, olivaceous, with five and a half whorls separated by a very distinct suture ; pupiform, with a rather blunt dimpled apex, the initial whorl conspicuously transversely striated ; sculpture of minute regular transverse (or axial) wrinkles crossed by microscopic spiral bands where the wrinkles are interrupted or modified ; last whorl subcylindric, much the largest; base attenuated, with a minute umbilical chink; aperture small, simple, sharp-edged, the outer and pillar lips connected by a layer of callus; pillar short, stout, anteriorly subtruncate within the aperture. Height of shell, 7.0; of last whorl, 5.0; of aperture, 2.5; max. diameter of shell, 3.0 mm. Albemarle Island, Galapagos group, at an altitude of about 1300 feet above the sea. U. S. S. Albatross. Cat. No. U. S. Nat. Mus. 274,096. This is the smallest species of Naesiotus yet recorded. It belongs to the group of B. arnastroides Ancey, and may well represent the stock from which the varied Bulimulus fauna of the islands has been gradually evolved by modification and isolation. Paul Reibisch described a species of Pupilla under the name of wolfi which he supposed to be the same as the P. wolfi of Miller, originally from Guayaquil on the mainland. Dr. Pilsbry informs me that the Galapagos species is not the same as the continental wolfi, and therefore I propose for it the specific name reibischi. Reibisch's P. clausa and P. munita seem sufficiently distinct. Reibisch's Bulimulus acutus is not the same as the much earlier B. acutus Leach, and may take the name of rugatinus. His B. terebra is not the same as B. terebra Matheron 1832 (fide Pilsbry), but the latter I have not yet been able to consult, and it may be a Buli- minus. The name venustus Reibisch is preoccupied by Beck in 1838, but Reibisch's name is a synonym of ustulatus Sowerby. Bulimulus vermi- culatus Dall (not of Beck, 1838) is a synonym of B. cinereus Reibisch, but the latter is preoccupied by Reeve in 1848, and the species may take the name of cinerarius. Bulimulus (Scutalus?) apurimacensis n. sp. Shell of moderate size, dull whitish with axial more flesh colored streaks, the interior of the aperture light yellowish brown ; spire acute, of seven whorls, the nuclear whorls reddish brown, transversely delicately striate, the apex dimpled ; base with a wide funicular umbilical pit, above minutely perforate; whorls moderately convex, suture distinct, not ap- pressed or channelled ; sculpture of the last four whorls of retractively oblique fine axial threads regularly disposed, with about equal inter- spaces, covering the entire shell, but a little less distinct near the aperture ; outer and inner lips approximated, connected over the body with a thin layer of callus, aperture egg-ovate, the lip widely reflected and sharp, the pillar simple; a section shows that above the perforation in the last whorl the hollow of the axis expands, funnel-like, and in the next preceding whorl is anteriorly contracted and posteriorly expanded, and similarly Dall — Bulimulus from the Galapagos Islands and Pent. 11 throughout the spire. Measurements of the largest, medium and smallest specimens in millimeters are as follows, the great majority being of medium size: Length of shell. of last whorl. aperture. diameter. 32.0 20 15 20 31.0 20 15 18 24.5 17 12 14 Collected on trees and shrubs near Paseje, Apurimac valley, Peru, by Prof. Hiram Bingham of the Peruvian expedition of the National Geo- graphic Society. Cat. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 251,835. The described species nearest to this is the B. (Scutalus) corseformis Pilsbry, from the Maranon valley on the east slope of the Andes. The latter is much larger, with a relatively smaller umbilical funnel and a different colored throat. Vol. 30, pp. 13-16 January 22, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON TWO NEW OPHIURANS FROM THE CHINA SEA BY AUSTIN H. CLARK.* A study of the unnamed ophiurans in the collection of the United States National Museum has brought to light the two following hitherto undescribed species from the China Sea. Ophiopteron alatum sp. nov. The disk is 4.5 mm. in diameter, and the arms are apparently about 25 mm. long. The dorsal surface of the disk is covered with large naked radial shields and naked overlapping plates, the latter extending in a narrow band with parallel sides from the centre of the disk to the interbrachial border, and outwardly between the radial shields in a very narrow elongate tri- angle the apex of which lies at or near the base of the arms. The centre of the disk is occupied by a pentagonal plate with rounded corners directed interradially, which has a raised and thickened border. On each side of this pentagon is a large subcircular plate, the diameter of which is about two-thirds that of the central plate. These five sub- circular plates are separated by very small oval plates which lie on the angles of the central pentagon. Beyond the subcircular plates is a smaller plate, triangular in shape with the apex more or less rounded, and beyond this a very narrow triangular plate which reaches nearly or quite to the arm bases; these last two plates lie between the radial shields. Following the small plates situated at the angles of the central penta- gon is an oval plate which is about twice as long as broad, the longer diameter lying in the interradial line, beyond which are two pairs of plates, or two irregular columns of from two to four plates, reaching to the spine bearing plates of the interradial border of the disk. On either side of this interradial series of plates are a few plates with the greater part of their surface concealed through the imbrication of the plates lying within them, which delimit the straight border of the interradial plated strip. . ^_ • Published with the permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 5— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (13) 14 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. The radial shields are very long, triangular, about half again as long as broad, reaching to the subcircular plate situated on the side of the central plate of the disk ; their distal border is slightly wider than, to twice as wide as, the interradial band of plates ; their inner distal angles are slightly produced and rounded; their outer borders are parallel to those of the adjacent radial shields; their inner borders are in contact distally, proximally diverging very slowly so as to leave a very narrowly triangular area which is occupied by plates. The interradial border of the disk, and a patch on the lateral margin is occupied by about a dozen polygonal plates each with a short cylin- drical spine which may have a rounded end, or may bear a few spinelets; these plates extend for a short distance around the outer corners of the radial shields. The interbrachial spaces below are naked except for the few spiniferous plates described above, and numerous minute calcareous spicules. In the proximal part of the arm the upper arm plates are six sided, the proximal and distal sides of about the same length, straight, the two lateral sides about twice as long as the two posterolateral sides; in the outer part of the arm they become fan-shaped with a truncate proximal angle. At the base of the arm the arm spines are eight in number; the second, third and fourth from the mid-dorsal line are the longest, and the upper- most is nearly as long; these are all webbed to the tip; the fifth is about as long as the first, and has a somewhat enlarged and very thorny tip ; it is united to the fourth by a web which reaches about half way up both spines; the sixth is not much more than half as long as the fifth, with a club-shaped and very thorny tip and no web; the seventh is much shorter and more thorny ; the lowest is in the form of a hook with two strong teeth directed backward toward the mouth ; the hooked character of this spine is fully developed on the second side arm plate. The spinules on the ends of the spines, whenever they occur, are webbed for a greater or lesser distance from their bases. The uppermost spine rapidly decreases in length, after about the ninth side arm plate occurring only as a slight spur; on the third or fourth side arm plate the second spine begins to decrease in length, becoming very small at the middle of the arm, so that beyond this point there is only a more or less partial web between the two uppermost spines (origi- nally the third and fourth) and a small spur at the base of the inner. The lower spines remain of about the same relative proportions to the end of the arms, the hook-like character of the lowest becoming more and more pronounced and the next to the lowest tending to assume more or less the same character ; the following spine tends to alternate long and short on succeeding side arm plates. The tentacle scale is rather prominent, rounded, spanning the angle between the side arm and under arm plates. The tentacles, as contracted in drying, are covered with numerous, and prominent, though very small, papillae. Clark — Two New Ophiurans from the China Sea. 15 The under arm plates are about as long as broad with parallel sides and a prominent notch in the distal border. Type.— -Cat. No. 38,666, U. S. N. M., from the north China Sea, col- lected by William Stimpson. Ctenamphiura sinensis sp. nov. The disk is nearly circular, being only slightly flattened in the radial regions, 9.5 mm. in diameter. The radial shields are short and broad, joined interiorly except for their extreme tips, each pair forming a heart-shaped figure which is about as broad as long, and about as long as the distance from its inner angle to the outer border of the rosette of primary plates. The six primary plates are united in a central rosette which is entirely surrounded by a line of much smaller plates; outside of this the disk is covered with comparatively large ovoid overlapping plates, smaller, how- ever, than the primary plates, which are largest in the middle third of the interradial areas and decrease in size toward the radial shields ; in each interradial line just beyond the series of small plates surrounding the central rosette there is a single plate about as large as those of the rosette, rounded trapezoidal in shape. The plates of the dorsal surface are flat and not swollen. The interbrachial regions below are covered with very small equal cir- cular strongly imbricating plates which near and at the dorsolateral margin of the disk become larger, longer and more pointed, abruptly defining the dorsal surface of the disk. The oral shields are approximately rhombic, though usually with the distal sides somewhat longer than the proximal ; all the sides are slightly concave. The side mouth shields meet within ; they are broadly crescentic with broadly rounded ends ; the chord of the crescents of the two adjacent shields make with each other a very broadly obtuse angle. The distalmost mouth papilla is circular and scale-like, similar to a tentacle scale situated opposite it on the first under arm plate, but slightly larger; the next is much larger though not much broader basally, and conical; the apical is smaller than the central, lower, more or less pointed. The arms decrease in width, and especially in height, noticeably in the basal fourth, but very slowly from that point onward. The upper arm plates in the proximal half of the arm are approxi- mately three times as broad as long, the lateral thirds of the distal border broadly convex, the median third concave. Just beyond the disk the arm spines are ten or eleven in number; the lowest is considerably stouter and longer than (sometimes twice as long as) the others; the next is slightly longer than the following which are short and approximately equal ; at the fifteenth side arm plate beyond the border of the disk the number of arm spines is reduced to eight of which the lowest, though stouter, is not much longer than the others; in 16 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. the central portion of the arm there are six arm spines, the lowest very slightly longer and stouter than the next, which again is very slightly longer and stouter than the others, these being subequal ; and in the outer portion of the arm there are five arm spines, and distally four. The under arm plates are about one-third broader than long, rectangu- lar, with blunted corners and concave lateral and distal borders. In the enlarged proximal portion of the arm a rounded ridge appears on either side of each under arm plate, just within the lateral border; nearer the base of the arm the ridges move toward each other, becoming at the same time more and more strongly curved so that at the base of the arm the tentacle scale on the under arm plate occupies the center of a deep half cup shaped depression. The tentacle scales are two in number, rather large, broad, and well rounded. Type.— Cat. No. 15,470, U. S. N. M. , from Hong Kong. Vol. 30, pp. 17-18 January 22, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NEW NAMES IN AMYGDALUS. BY P. L. RICKER. In accord with the tendency among botanists to place the Peach and its allies in a genus distinct from the Plums and Cherries several transfers from the genus Primus to the genus Amygdalus become necessary. Those which we have had oc- casion to use are as follows: Amygdalus dehiscens (Koehne) Ricker. Prunus dehiscens Koehne, Sarg. Plant. Wils. 1:271. 1912. Amygdalus mira (Koehne) Ricker. Prunus mira Koehne, Sarg. Plant. Wils. 1 : 272. 1912. Amygdalus mongolica (Maxim.) Ricker. Prunus mongolica Maxim. Bull. Soc. Nat. Mosc. 45:16. 1879. Amygdalus nana campestris (Bess.) Ricker. Prunus nana campestris Bess. Ennm. Plant. Yolk. 46. 1822. Amygdalus nana cochin- chinensis (Bailey) Ricker. Prunus nana cochin-chinensis Bailey, Cycl. Am. Hort. 3: 1456. 1901. Amygdalus nana rubra Ricker. Prunus nana rubra Hort. Gard. Chron. III. 52:390. suppl. pi. 1912. Amygdalus davidiana alba (Carr. ) Ricker. Persica davidiana alba Carr. Rev. Hort. 76. 1872. Prunus davidiana alba Bean, Garden 50:165. 1896. Amygdalus persica densa (Makino) Ricker. Prunus persica densa Makino, Tokyo Bot. Mag. 16:178. 1902. Amygdalus persica camelliaeflora Ricker. Prunus persica camelliaeflora Hort. in Bailey, Stand. Cycl. Hort. 5:2833. 1916. Amygdalus persica platycarpa (Decne. ) Ricker. Persica platycarpa Decne. Jard. Fruit. Mus. 7:42. pi. 1872-75. Prunus persica platycarpa Bailey, Cycl. Am. Hort. 3:1457. 1901. Amygdalus persica potanini (Batal.) Ricker. Prunus persica potanini Batal. Act. Hort. Petrop. 12:164. 1892. fi— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (17) 18 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Amygdalus petzoldii (Koch) Ricker. Prunus triloba petzoldii Bailey, Cycl. Am. Hort. 3:1457. 1901. Prunus petzoldii Koch, Dendr. 1:92. 1869. Amygdalus triloba (Lindl. ) Ricker. Amygdalus pedunculata Bunge, Enum. PI. China 22. 1831, not Pallas 1798. Prunus triloba Lindl. Gard. Chron. 268. 1857. Amygdalus sweginzoivii (Koehne) Ricker. Prunus sweginzoivii Koehne, Mitt. Dent. Dendr. Gesell. 19:97. 1910. Vol. 30, pp. 19-22 February 21, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A FOSSIL TSETSE FLY AND OTHER DIPTERA FROM FLORISSANT, COLORADO. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL. The Diptera described below were collected recently by Mr. Geo. Wilson, and transmitted to me by Mr. F. H. Ward. They have been placed in the U. S. National Museum. The tsetse flies {Glossina) at present belong to the Ethiopian fauna. Glossina armatipes new species (Glossinidse). A specimen in lateral profile, the head and anterior part of thorax missing. Male. — Length of wing about 7.5 mm., of abdomen about 6.5 mm.; hind femur 4 mm., hind tibia 3 mm. Thorax black, sides not hairy; the position of the bristles can not be made out, the pteropleural and sternopleural bristles usually so conspicuous in Glossina can not be seen. Abdomen in lateral view appearing rather slender, the apex curved downward and forward, with a pair of clavate chitinous rods obscurely indicated; hair of abdomen fine and thin, as usual in the genus; base of abdomen broadly dark, beyond this four or five dark brown bands, the first three very distinct, and separated by colorless intervals as wide as themselves. Middle (?) tarsi with fine hairs and coarse black bristles, as usual in the genus. Hind femora with a row of long black bristles on lower side, beginning about 1440 m from end, these are eight in all, di- rected downward, the last three short, but the fifth longest (about 560 m), extending across the whole width of the adjacent flexed tibia. Tibia with fine scattered hairs and a row of strong black bristles on outer face, but I can not see any regular row of short spines such as occurs in modern Glossina ; at the end of the tibia are two large curved spines, one larger and much stouter than the other. Hind basitarsus very minutely hairy, the anterior side near the base with two stout spines, which are very finely longitudinally striated (the same occur in the living G. fusca AValker); tarsi long; claws slender and simple. Wings perfectly clear, 7— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (19) 20 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. with very pale veins; venation normal for Glossina, except that the outer margin of the discal cell is strongly curved above, becoming more or less S-like, so that the end of the cell is narrowed ; this is an exaggeration of the condition found in the fossil G. osborni Ckll. and the living G.fusca Walker. Miocene shales of Florissant (Geo. Wilson). I at first thought this species should represent a distinct genus, on account of the shape of the end of the discal cell and the strong armature of the hind legs. I found, however, that the living G. fusca possessed all these characters in a less exaggerated form, and that it would be im- possible to define a genus satisfactorily. It then appeared possible that the specimen might be referred to the fossil G. osborni, but in that species the outer side of the discal cell, if the bulge at the upper end is not considered, is nearly at right angles to the upper side, whereas in G. armatipes the outer side, ignoring the bulge, is oblique, at an angle of about 45° with the upper side. G. osborni is a typical Glossina, whereas G. armatipes is a distinctly aberrant species. The fossil species of Glossina known from Florissant may be separated thus: Very large, wings 16 mm. long; outer side of discal cell hardly curved, and anterior basal cell strongly claviform at end . oligocena (Scudder). Wings 10.9 mm. long; outer side of discal cell more oblique, and an- terior basal cell hardly claviform at end veterna Ckll. Wings less than 8 mm. long osborni Ckll. and armatipes Ckll. (differing as indicated above). Dolichomyia tertiaria new species (Bombyliida?). Length 10 mm.; thorax 2.25 mm. long; wings 5 mm. long, perfectly clear; hind legs long and slender, femora 3.5 mm., tibia 3 mm.; abdo- men very long and slender, not noticeably enlarged apically, its depth a little over 1 mm. Head, thorax and legs dark, abdomen dark with broadly hyaline sutures. Venation exactly like Dolichomyia, as figured by Williston, but some of the apical nervures obliterated or almost so, being very pale and thin. The following measurements are in microns: praefurca about 160, first basal cell on first submarginal 1090, first basal on discal 850, first posterior on discal 560, second basal on discal 144, second basal on third posterior 240. Miocene shales of Florissant (Geo. Wilson). The discovery of a Dolichomyia in the Miocene is surprising ; the genus is to-day represented by scattered and rare species in South and North America (Colorado). Oxycera (?) contusa new species (Stratiomyidae). Female. — Length 6.3 mm. ; head, thorax and abdomen dark, the ab- domen without markings; thorax 2.6 mm. wide; abdomen very broad, circular, the breadth and length 3.3 mm. ; eyes naked, .5 mm. apart on vertex; wings 5.6 mm. long, perfectly clear, the veins very faint. The venation appears to be normal for Oxycera, but most of it is so faint that Cockerell — A Fossil Tsetse Fly and Diptera from Florissant. 21 it requires a strong light and close study to make it out. The side of the fifth posterior cell on the second basal appears to be less than that on the discal, which is not usual in Oxycera ; the vein separating the sub- marginal cells is so extremely faint that I thought it was absent, as in 0. formosa Meigen ; the end of the stigma is about on a level with end of discal cell; the longitudinal veins from the discal cell are straight or practically so. The following measurements in microns were taken with difficulty, but are probably correct: Depth of submarginal cell at level of end of stigma 272, discal cell on first posterior about 720, discal on second posterior 128, discal on third posterior 256 or perhaps more, discal on fourth posterior 320, discal on fifth posterior 384, second basal on fifth posterior 288; end of anal to wing margin 20S. Miocene shales at Florissant (Geo. Wilson). I am unable to demonstrate the scutellar spines, and they were possi- bly absent, so it is not positive that the fly belongs to Oxycera. Of the genera of Clitellariinae cited by Williston without scutellar spines, this can not be Nemotelus or Akronia, as the face is not conically produced; the size and appearance are quite unlike Hermetia or Chrysochlora ; the bare eyes exclude Pelagomyia ; leaving only the South American genus Cacosis of Walker, which is distinguished by antenual peculiarities which can not be made out in the fossil. The fossil shows one antenna ap- pressed to the head, and it is oval with a stout terminal arista, as in Oxycera morrisii Curtis, figured by Verrall. The fossil is therefore either an Oxycera or very closely related to that genus. Vol. 30, pp. 23-26 February 21, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE ASTEROID GENUS CORONASTER.* BY WALTER K. FISHER. The genus Coronaster Perrier, currently classified in the Pedi- cellasteridae, should include also Asterias (Stolasterias) volsellata Sladen, which Professor Verrill recently made the type of Heterasterias,t of the family Asteriidae. Coronaster, as usually understood, includes the following nominal species: C. parfaiti Perrier, the type, from the Cape Verde Islands; C. antonii Perrier, founded upon a very imma- ture specimen from Morocco; C. briareus (Verrill), from south of Key West, and also northward between N. lat. 37° 18' 11" and 36° 41' 05"; C. bispinosus Ives, locality unknown, perhaps identical with briareus; C. octoradiatus (Studer), from South Georgia Island. Verrill J has given the most recent diagnosis of Coronaster : ' Delicate starfishes with a small disk and numerous slender rays, covered with long, slender spines in radial rows. The dorsal skeleton is weak, made up of the rows of median and superomarginal plates, connected together by slender transverse ossicles. Each plate of the longitudinal rows usually bears one slender spine. Both rows of marginal plates well developed and spiniferous. No interactinal [actinal intermediate] plates. Adambulacrals diplacanthid. Large, felipedal [unguiculate], dermal major pedicellariae occur above and below. Minor * Published with permission of the Commissioner of Fisheries. + Monograph of the Shallow-water Starfishes of the North Pacific Coast, etc., 1914, p. 46. X Report on the Starfishes of the West Indies, Florida, and Brazil, Bull. Univ. Iowa, Vol. 7, No. 1, Mch. 20, 1915, p. 31. 8— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30. 1917. (23) 24 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. pedicellarise form large circumspinal wreaths, borne on contrac- tile sheaths. Tube-feet are relatively large, in two rows., not crowded. A pair of large peroral spines on the margins of the oblong jaws, with groups of oral marginal pedicellarise." I have examined a specimen of Coronaster briareus from 90 fathoms, Gulf Stream, south of Key West. In this specimen R equals 81 mm., or slightly more than in the largest example listed by Professor Verrill (1915, p. 31). In this specimen the tube-feet are crowded and quadriserial, or arranged in what one might prefer to call two crowded zig-zag series, inasmuch as the pores remain biserial. On the outer two-fifths of one ray the pedicels are biserial, while on the other four, the quadriserial arrangement extends to the tip. Perrier* mentions that in C. antonii the tube-feet are quadriserial on part of the ray, although the specimen is very small. I have compared this specimen of 0. briareus side by side with large and medium-sized examples of Heterasterias volsellata (Sladen) from the Philippine Islands, which has similarly arranged quadriserial tube-feet, with biserial pores, only slightly zig-zag in very large specimens. Furthermore the highly char- acteristic skeleton of volsellata is nearly exactly duplicated, with minor specific differences, by that of briareus. This skeleton, which holds good also for C. parfaiti and C. antonii as figured by Perrier,* consists of slender, lobed plates, joined by more or less elongate connecting ossicles in such a way as to form a median radial, and two marginal, regular longitudinal series, joined together at the intervals of the primary plates by trans- verse ossicles, leaving four series of large, rectangular papular areas. At each node of this skeletal mesh is a sharp spine with a retractile wreath of abundant pedicellarise. The inferomar- ginal plates abut tightly against the adambulacrals. Further- more, both species have the curious hand-shaped, unguiculate major pedicellarise of conspicuous size, figured by Professor Verrill. t Perrier + has given carefully drawn figures of C. parfaiti and C. antonii. As already noted the skeleton is essentially the • Exped. scientif. du Travailleur et du Talisman, Echinodermes, 1891, p. 96, pi. 8. + Verrill, 1915, op. cit., pi. 9, fig. 4c. t Perrier, 1894, op. cit., pi. 8. Fisha — The Asteroid Genus Coronaster. 25 same as that of briareus and of volsellatus. It seems reasonable, on account of the small size of Perrier's specimens, to consider them immature. They match very well the immature, regener- ating rays of volsellatus, which also have the pedicels biserially arranged, and at a certain stage biserial at the base and tip and quadriserial in the middle portion. Coronaster volsellatus has one adambulacral spine, the other species generally two. In C. parfaiti there are three spines on the first five plates, and two on the others. C. antonii has the spines "solitary on the majority of the plates, but in pairs on certain others among them." I do not think the monacanthid condition of volsellatus of sufficient importance to cause a generic separation. The new species, Coronaster halicepus, is diplacan- thid and is evidently a close relative of volsellatus. Coronaster is therefore represented in the East Indies by two species, and in the Atlantic by five nominal forms. The family affiliations of Coronaster are not easy to determine, its lineage being somewhat involved. The tendency to crowding in the arrangement of pedicels partakes of the Asteriidae, while its mouth plates are quite as " brisingoid " as those of Odinia, and perhaps more so than the oral angles of Labidiaster, two groups placed in the Brisingidre. Its skeleton is more like that of a simplified Pedicellaster than like that of Asterias, or allies. Parenthetically, the mouth plates of Pedicellaster are more prominently " adambulacral " than those of any genus of the Asteriidse, even of Coscinasterias, and are nearly or quite as prominent, relatively, as the oral angles in Brisinga. In Pedi- cellaster and Coronaster the ambulacral plates are more " brisin- goid," uncrowded, and the pedicel pores are in two series, even if later the feet themselves lie in four ranks. In very large specimens of Coronaster, the pedicel pores form two slightly zig- zag rows, much less pronounced than in small specimens of Coscinasterias (in the broader sense), and the ambulacralia are less crowded. My own feeling is that until we arrive at a more satisfactory basis for the subdivision of the Asteriidae than is now current, it will be much better to leave Coronaster in the Pedicellasteridse, rather than to relegate it to the Asteriidse, even though one of its species has long occupied an undisputed corner in that over-burdened family. 26 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Genus CORONASTER Perrier. Coronaster Perrier, Ann. sci. nat. , art. 8, 1885, p. 13. Type, C. parfaiti Perrier; Exped. sci. du Travailleur et du Talisman, Echinodermes, 1894, p. 92, pi. 8. Stolasterias (subgen.) pars Si.aden, Challenger Asteroidea, 1889, p. 584. Heterasterias Verrill, Shallow-water Starfishes of the North Pacific Coast, etc., 1914, p. 46. Type, Asterias {Stolasterias) volsellata Sladen. Coronaster halicepus new species. Characters. — In general appearance very closely resembling C. volsella- tus, but differing in having 10 rays, 2 adambulacral spines, relatively broader and shorter major, unguiculate pedicellarise, with longer claws, heavier ambulacral forficiform pedicellarise with the jaws conspicuously crossed at tips, and longer forcipiform minor pedicellarise, each jaw with upward of 12 or even more small teeth in addition to the large terminal teeth (5 or 6 in volsellatus). R=260mm., r=17mm., R=15±r; breadth of ray at base, 11 mm. ; at 25 mm. from base, 14 or 15 mm. Type.— Cat. No. 37,012, U. S. Nat. Mus. Type-locality. — Albatross station 5281, between Lubang and Luzon, Philippine Islands, 201 fathoms, dark gray sand, bottom temperature, 50.4° Fahr. Taken also off the Molucca Passage, Molucca Islands, 298 fathoms. The adambulacral spines form the most trenchant character to separate this species from volsellatus. They are 2, slender, slightly tapered, blunt, situated on the furrow margin in an oblique series, the inner being aboral to the outer and about two-thirds to three-fourths as long; the latter is one-half to three-fifths as long as the inferomarginal spine. About every other plate has on the furrow face 1 or 2 forficiform pedicellarise about 1 to 1.25 mm. long. These extend between the tube-feet, and are at the end of a thick, apparently highly extensible stalk, around the base of which are 1 to several very small pedicel 1 aria'. These pedicellarise have the ends of the jaws crossed and are broader than in volsellatus, where the jaw tips fit together snugly. The trabecule of the abactinal and lateral skeleton, and the papular areas, have numerous large six-clawed unguiculate, hand-shaped, pedicellarise, about 1.5 mm. long. These resemble two miniature hands clasped, with the fingers bent, and are shorter and broader than in volsellatus, as well as much more numerous. Vol. 30, pp. 27-28 February 21, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THK BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SIALIA FROM MEXICO. BY HARRY C. OBERHOLSER. Some time ago Dr. Louis B. Bishop sent me for examination four specimens of a bluebird from northeastern Mexico. Upon comparison with abundant material these proved to represent a new subspecies of Sialia sialis. Dr. Bishop has generously donated these specimens to the Biological Survey collection in the United States National Museum, and has permitted the writer to present the accompanying description . This new race may be called: Sialia sialis episcopus, subsp. now* Chars, subsp. — Similar to Sialia sialis fulva, but blue of upper parts rather darker, and anterior lower parts very much darker. Description.— Type, adult male, No. 241,188, U. S. N. M. (No. 23,808 Louis B. Bishop) ; Santa Engracia, Tamaulipas, Mexico, December 15, 1911 ; F. B. Armstrong. Interscapulum rich blue, between methyl blue and spectrum blue, the feathers with a few rusty edgings ; rest of upper parts, including upper surface of tail, lighter blue, between light methyl blue and salvia blue, the tail somewhat duller, more grayish ; wing-quills terminally fuscous black, shading basally to pale brown, most of the outer webs and all but the marginal half of the inner webs, together with all of the superior wing-coverts, blue like the upper surface; sides of head blue like the pileum, but somewhat paler and mixed with grayish brown ; chin mixed whitish and dull grayish blue; throat, breast, and sides dull chestnut, between chestnut and auburn ; abdomen and crissum white; lining of wing light gray mixed with white and washed with blue. Geographic distribution. — State of Tamaulipas, Mexico, north to the lower Rio Grande Valley in central southern Texas. Remarks. — -This very interesting new form is in general characters somewhat intermediate between Sialia sialis sialis and Sialia sialis fulva, combining, as it does, the light, more or less greenish, upper parts of the latter with the deep-colored anterior lower parts of the former. It differs from Sialia sialis sialis conspicuously in its lighter, more greenish blue upper surface; and from Sialia sialis guatemalae in its much darker lower * Named for Dr. Louis B. Bishop. 9— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 30, 1917. (27) 28 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. parts. The female of Sialia sialis cpiscopus differs from the female of both Sialia sialis fulva and Sialia sialis guatemalae in the much darker lower surface ; and from the female of Sialia sialis sialis in the more greenish tone of the blue on the upper parts and also usually in the somewhat lighter tone of the anterior under surface. As in the other races of this species, there is considerable individual variation in the color of the blue on the upper surface, and this is exemplified by a male ( No. 241,189 U. S. N. M. ), which has the blue decidedly darker and more purplish than in the type. Specimens from Fort Clark, Texas, and from El Blanco on the Lower Rio Grande in Texas, belong also to this new race. Detailed measurements of the good plumaged adults of Sialia sialis episcopus now available are as follows: •AiBID CO t)noq)iA\ IC •* CD CD lO 904 aiPPIK "—11 1 T— i , — r , 1 f/3 s io lo co io i-H c: © 35 © S3 CM i— i CM r- < p. „ s - a <** co- Q « c c z S k =S - -A * H »"S >-5 >-» Hj ci"* of 33 sf ■7C y. tt t. -r; ac •— x -> — . cy ~» - - _ _. si 2 oa 2 s £ * ;* « 6£^: st^:-^ sir: sir: a O a33^'3— -W^W* <$ § * z^ £ a ~ * s +^X+j?3+j^;^-rt+jX cH sH jrH =H ah 05 c« O L e8 c3 3C CO fc GO GO CO ■b *b *b o o E Si §«§®§ioSo§h £ 0) • CO -CO .CO -35 -35 Musei anc Nurut & ~\& ~ ^ ■* fc ^55 n. QQ^QD^CCSSaQ^cd^ p N p ^ p ~ p N p N a> a Vol. 30, pp. 29-30 February 21, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW SUBSPECIES OF MEADOW MOUSE FROM WYOMING. BY VERNON BAILEY. The common valley meadow mouse of southwestern Wyoming is so strikingly different from typical Microtus montanus, to which it is most nearly related, that it seems necessary to rec- ognize by name this extreme variant which gradually changes in characters across Nevada and Utah, and reaches its maximum variation in Wyoming. It occupies the meadows along streams in the arid sage-brush country of the Bear River, Green River, and Wind River valleys, and has the general habits of the larger darker M. montanus farther west. Microtus montanus caryi subsp. nov. Type from Milford, Fremont County, Wyoming; adult (?, No. 168,670, U. S. National Museum, Biological Survey Collection. Collected by Merritt Cary, May 8, 1910; original number 1912. General characters. — About the size of montanus, but with relatively shorter tail and paler coloration throughout. Color. — In spring pelage before the summer moult, upper parts warm Imffy gray with a rather coarsely grizzled effect of buff and black tipped hairs; top of tail dusky; sides of nose clear buff; lower parts, feet, and lower surface and sides of tail white or silvery gray. Late summer pelage after the fall moult not shown in the collection, but probably darker. Young duller and more brownish with darker feet, tails, and under parts. Skull. — Very similar in size and form to that of typical montanus, but- less heavily ridged in old males and with less sloping supraoccipital. Measurements. — Type: Total length, 177; tail, 45; hind foot, 21 ; of an adult female topotype, 148, 41, 20. Skull of type. — Basal length, 27.5; nasals, 7; zygomatic breadth, 16; mastoid breadth, 13; alveolar length of upper molar series, 7. 10— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (:>9) 30 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Remarks. — From typical nanus the present form may be readily distin- guished by larger size, and heavier, deeper skull, although its short tail and gray coloration at first suggest that species. The skulls, however, show the connection to be with montanus and not with nanus. Specimens examined. — In all, 21, from the following localities in Wyoming: Milford, 4; Sage Creek (near Milford), I ; Lone Tree, Uinta County, 1; Cumberland, 5; Cokeville, 2; Border, 7; Afton, I (too young for positive identification). Vol. 30, pp. 31-34 February 21, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW SPECIES OF HORNED TREE-TOAD FROM PANAMA. BY LEONHARD STEJNEGER. (Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.) The discovery of a species of Cerathyla in Panama adds a new genus to the batrachian fauna of the Isthmus. This genus has been known hitherto only from the Andes of Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. It is not only one of the rarest genera in collections, but its aspect is also very singular, due to the large triangular head with its bony casque posteriorly extended as two pointed horns, and the dermal flaps on snout and eyelids. Its mode of propagation is equally peculiar. The specimen and its young, which form the basis of the following description, was collected by Mr. Charles Gordon Holland, Asst. Paymaster, U. S. N., while attached to the U. S. S. Leonidas, on May 20, 1915, at Signal Loma (Loma Peak) on the north coast of Panama three miles south of San Isabel. Cerathyla panamensis sp. nov. Diagnosis. — Edge of upper eyelid medially with a triangular dermal pyramid ending in a pointed conical tubercle ; snout with a short slender pointed dermal appendage; tibio-tarsal joint not reaching tip of snout; tongue longer than wide ; distance from extremity of one of the lateral processes of helmet to the other less than its distance from the tip of snout, and less than two and one-half times the interorbital width ; inter- orbital width more than three times the distance between nostrils, more than twice the width of upper eyelid; distance from nostrils to tip of snout nearly equalling their distance from orbits and nearly twice their distance between each other. Habitat . — Panama . 11— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30. 1917. (31) 32 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Type.— Cat. No. 55,320 U. S. N. M. ; Signal Loma, three miles south of San Isabel, north coast of Panama; C. G. Holland, collector. Description of type specimen. — Tongue longer than broad; palatine teeth in a nearly straight line across the whole width of the palate behind the choanae, interrupted in the middle; vomerine series V shaped, con- verging behind, ending anteriorly in an elevation in front of the choanae ; snout with a short, compressed, pointed, dermal flap; upper eyelid with a median triangular dermal pyramid ending in a pointed conical tubercle; distance between nostrils slightly less than half their distance from tip to snout, and half their distance from orbit; width of upper eyelid equal to distance of nostrils from snout; interorbital space twice as wide as upper eyelid ; distance between points of horns of helmet much less than their distance from tip of snout ; posterior outline of casque rounded ; tympanum very distinct, its longest diameter more than three-fourths the diameter of orbit; a bony tubercle at angle of mouth; fingers long, slen- der, with a rudiment of web and well-developed disks, first much longer than second; toes one-third webbed with well-formed disks, third slightly shorter than fifth; a single metatarsal tubercle; a small dermal heel flap; the hind leg being carried forward along the body, the tibio-tarsal articu- lation extends forward to between the eye and tip of the snout; skin on top of head involved in the cranial ossification, finely granular; skin on back smooth, on throat and chest smooth with scattered tubercles; belly granular with the tubercles more closely set. Color (in alcohol) brown- ish drab above, without any distinct pattern of darker markings; a narrow whitish ring around the eye, and a similar line along the upper lip, more or less interrupted by brown ; legs indistinctly cross-barred ; the posterior aspect of the femur with indistinct white spots, behind which a dark brown line; underside whitish with indistinct brownish marblings; a dark brownish line on the inner side of the arm. Dimensions. mm. Tip of snout to vent 60 Tip of snout to nostrils 6 Tip of snout to anterior rim of orbit 13 Tip of snout to posterior edge of tympanum .... 28 Tip of snout to tip of occipital horn 33 Distance between tips of occipital horns 27 Distance between nostrils 3.5 Distance of nostrils from orbit 7 Interorbital width 12 Width of upper eyelid 6 Greatest width of head 32 Forelegs from axilla 40 Hind legs from vent to tip of longest toe 99 Tibia 33 Remarks. — This species appears closely allied to Cerathyla bubalus Stejnegei — A New Species of Horned Tree-toad from Panama. 33 Espada, from the Andes of Ecuador and Peru, but differs in the much wider interorbital space and in the longer snout. With the adult specimen described above, there is a very young one (No. 55,321, U. S. X. M.), only 17 mm. long, but fully developed. It has evidently just been severed from its mother, as the two strings, issu- ing one on each side from the chest near the shoulder look as if they had just been ruptured. When received, the mother specimen had the back covered with a loose flap of skin which came oft* easily when gently lifted by the forceps. On the exposed side of this flap there are about 12 pairs of whitish cords, apparently freshly ruptured and similar to the ones on the chest of the young one, which indicate that at least so many young ones had been attached to the mother's back just previous to capture. This condition fully bears out the account given by Boulenger of the closely related Cerathyla bubalus carrying its eggs on the back (Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1908, vol. 2, pp. 115-116). The young ones evidently undergo their entire development while attached to the mother, after which the skin of her back, to which the eggs adhered, sloughs off. On the piece of skin shed there are distinct impressions of the outlines of the eggs, apparently at least 14. This would indicate a larger number of eggs than in C. bubalus, in the specimen of which recorded by Boulenger there were only 9. In the adult specimen the neural spines of the dorsal vertebrae pro- trude on the back like a series of saw-teeth. It is also worthy of notice that the diapophyses of the sacral vertebrae are distinctly dilated. s£ if. Vol. 30, pp. 35-42 March 31, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF FISHES FROM THE HEAD OF CHESAPEAKE BAY. BY LEWIS RADCLIFFE AND W. W. WELSH.* In the course of an investigation for the Bureau of Fisheries in the spring of 1912, in the head of Chesapeake Bay and vicinity, opportunity was afforded to make a small collection of the fishes of the region. The territory covered included the Susquehanna River from Port Deposit to its mouth, the North- east River, the Elk River and its tributary, the Bohemia, the Sassafras River, the Susquehanna Flats, and Chesapeake Bay south to a line from Howell Point to Stony Point. From April 8th to May 8th the numerous pound-nets were visited almost daily, and many visits were made to the several large seines in operation during this time. Small collecting seines were also used in Heron Run and the old canal (here connected with the river by a break in the bank) at Lapidum, near Port Deposit, Maryland; in Swan Creek, the Elk and Bohemia rivers, the Sassafras River and Turner's Creek, and at the Bureau of Fisheries station at Battery Island, 31 miles below Havre-de- Grace, Maryland. In June, 1882, Dr. Tarleton H. Bean made a small collection of fishes in this region, the results of which were published in the Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum, Vol. VI, 1883, pp. 365-367. PETROMYZONTIDjE. 1. Petromyzon marinus Linnseus. Lamprey. An abundant species at this season. Many small ones, 14 to 17 cm. , seen among the river herring taken in the seines and pound-nets. A few adults reported by the fishermen. * Published with the permission of the United States Commissioner of Fisheries. 12— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 30, 1917. (35) 36 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. ACIPENSERID.E. 2. Acipenser sturio Linnaeus. Sturgeon. This species is reported to be very scarce. None seen by us. Lepisosteid^;. 3. Leplsosteus osseus (Linnaeus). Black gar. A single example 85 cm. in length, weighing 434 lbs., was taken in a fyke-net in the Bohemia River. SlLUKID.35. 4. Ameiurus catus (Linnaeus). White cat. Abundant, and of considerable market value to the pound-net fishermen. 5. Ameiurus nebulosus (LeSueur). Yellow cat. More abundant than the preceding species. Individuals ranged in color from a uniform muddy yellow through various degrees of marbling to a uniform dark slate, almost black. Catostomid^;. 6. Carpiodes cyprinus (LeSueur). Carp sucker. A single example, 34.8 cm. long, taken in a shore seine at Cherry Tree Point, in brackish water. 7. Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede). Sucker. Common. The largest example seen was 45 cm. in length and weighed 2 lbs. 8. Hypentelium nigricans (LeSueur). An example 23.6 cm., taken in a pound-net in the Elk River, and a small one in Swan Creek, were the only examples seen. 9. Erimyzon oblongus (Mitchill). Chub sucker. Two males, 21 and 20 cm. long, from Bohemia River and Swan Creek. The larger example shows, in addition to the three tubercles on each side of the head usual in breeding males of this species, a fourth and smaller tubercle on each side just below a line from nostril to pupil. Both ex- amples have numerous small excrescences on the anal fin, largest on basal portion; in the smaller example there are also excrescences on the lower caudal lobe, under side of caudal peduncle, and along sides nearly to base of ventrals. These examples agree with specimens taken by us in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal at Seneca, Maryland, and with an example in the U. S. National Museum from New Bedford, Mass. We have compared these examples with two examples of E. sucetta, one from Savannah, Georgia, and the second from Lost Lake, Indiana, and find the difference in scal- ing between the two species to be as follows: Radclife and Welsh — Notes on Fishes from Chesapeake Bay. 37 E. sucetta E. oblongus Number of transverse rows of scales run- ning downward and backward between shoulder and base of caudal 36 or 37+1 42 to 45 +1 or 2 Predorsal scales 12 or 13 15 or 16 Scales from origin of ventral upward and forward to and including median line of back 15 18 Scales upward and backward from the same point 13 15 Scales from origin of anal upward and forward 13 15 10. Moxostoma macrolepidotum (LeSueur). Mullet. Common; many caught in pound-nets. The largest example seen was 41 cm. in length, and weighed 1% lbs. CyPRINIDjE. 11. Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus). Carp, Dutchman. Common. 12. Hybognathus nuchalis Agassiz. Gudgeon. This form, common throughout the region, was found to be extremely abundant in Swan Creek. The individuals here were of large size (reach- ing 16.2 cm.) and far outnumbered Notropis hudsonius amarus, from which they could be readily distinguished by the lustrous brassy sheen covering the entire body. 13. Semotilus corporalis (Mitchill). Chub. Only taken in the old canal basin at Lapidum, Maryland, where it occurs in considerable numbers. 14. Semotilus atromaculatus (Mitchill). Chub. A single example taken at Lapidum, Maryland. 15. Leuciscus vandoisulus Cuvier & Valenciennes. Common in Swan Creek. A breeding male 6.3 cm. long had many small tubercles distributed over entire surface of head ; among the small ones on top of head were enlarged ones ; a row of seven large ones above orbit ; a small tubercle near apical margin of scale on nearly all of the body scales ; upper margin of first pectoral ray armed with a row of small, antrorse, spine-like tubercles, largest on distal portion of ray. 16. Notemigonus crysoleucas (Mitchill). Pond roach. Common. One example 18 cm. long, taken in a pound-net in the Bohemia River, showed the characteristic coloration of N. versicolor (DeKay). 38 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 17. Notropis procne (Cope). This species appears to be common in the small streams, being especially abundant in Swan Creek. A few examples were taken at Lapidum and Heron Run. In our examples of this species the scales of the back are narrowly edged with brownish, forming a very distinct cross-hatching. Lateral band dusky, not (or indistinctly) continued around tip of snout. Lateral line complete. Six divided l'ays in anal fin. 18. Notropis bifrenatus (Cope). Our examples of this species were seined on the beaches of the Sassafras, Elk, Bohemia and Susquehanna Rivers, where it seems to be common. None were taken in the small creeks, where N. procne was abundant. In our examples the dusky edging of the scales of the back is continued onto the body of the scale, the cross-hatchings being much less distinctly outlined than in N. procne. Lateral band darker than in N. procne, and continued distinctly around tip of snout. Lateral line incomplete. Six divided rays in anal fin. In alcoholic examples of this and the preceding species, the black edgings to the scales immediately above the dark lateral band are absent, giving the appearance of a light band above the dark one. 19. Notropis hudsonius amarus (Girard). Gudgeon. Everywhere abundant. Lateral band silvery or leaden, with traces of a blackish blotch at base of caudal. No light band above this stripe. Lateral line continuous; anal rays 7 (rarely 8). 20. Notropis analostanus (Girard). Mostly confined to the small creeks, and especially abundant in the old canal at Lapidum, Maryland. 21. Notropis cornutus (Mitch ill). Taken only in Swan Creek and in the old canal at Lapidum, in both of which places it was abundant. Two males (10.1 and 11 cm. in length) in breeding dress, had in addi- tion to the tubercles on head and nape, smaller tubercles arranged in rows on the upper surface of the pectorals. 22. Notropis photogenis amoenus (Abbott). This species, which we have taken in large numbers in several of the tributaries of the Potomac near Washington, D. C, appears to be less abundant here, only three examples being taken, one from Swan Creek and two from Lapidum. 23. Rhinichthys atronasus (Mitchill). Ten examples were taken in the rocky pools of Heron Run. Radcliffe and Welsh — Notes on Fishes from Chesapeake Bay. 39 24. Exoglossum maxillingua (LeSueur). Cut Lips. Sparingly common in Swan Creek, and one example taken at Lapidum, Maryland. Anguillid^e. 25. Anguilla rostrata (LeSueur). Eel. Abundant everywhere. DoROSOMATIDjE. 26. Dorosoma cepedianum (LeSueur). Mud shad. A single individual, 32 cm. in length, taken in a pound-net in the Elk River, was the only example seen. ClUPEIDjE. 27. Pomolobus mediocris (Mitchill). Hickory shad. Three females, 35.7, 37.5 and 46.2 cm. in length, with roe well ad- vanced but not ripe, were the only examples seen. 28. Pomolobus pseudoharengus (Wilson). Branch herring. Reported to be much less abundant than in former years. This spring no large run of this species occurred. The average length and weight of 7 males (from 26.5 to 29 cm. long) was 28.3 cm. and .5 lb. The average length and weight of 5 females (from 29 to 31 cm. long) was 30 cm. and .6 lb. Twenty-five examples (sex and length not recorded) averaged .54 lbs. each. 29. Pomolobus aestivalis (Mitchill). Glut herring. FAT-BACK, BLUE-BACK. BLACK-BELLY. It is reported that there is a falling off in the run of this species from that of the past three or four years. This year (1912) this species was first taken in the Elk River on April 11th, but did not appear in any considerable numbers until the 16th. The run reached its heighth on April 27th, and by May 8th was almost over. The average weight of 25 males (26.5 to 31.5 cm. long) was .56 lbs. per fish. The average weight of 50 females (27.5 to 34 cm. long) was .68 lbs. per fish. The average weight of 99 fish of both sexes (27 to 34.5 cm. long) was .61 lbs. per fish. Of the many thousand individuals seen the majority had a single black blotch at shoulder, but individuals with a row of from three to nine blotches were not uncommon, and a considerable number were seen which showed traces of a double row. 40 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 30. Alosa sapidissima (Wilson). Shad, white shad. Prior to May 8th the catch of shad was extremely small, most of the catch coming from brackish water. 31. Brevoortia tyrannus (Latrobe). Bug-fish. None seen. A few reported to have been taken in a shore seine at Cherry Tree Point, Maryland, prior to May 3d. At this point the water is usually slightly brackish. The fishermen report that this species is generally abundant towards the close of the shad season. Esocid^;. 32. Esox reticulatus LeSueur. Pike. Common. Females, in spawning condition, with ripe eggs, were seen as follows: April 11, 1 example 31 cm., % lk-> Elk River. April 18, 1 example, Elk River. April 24, 1 example 50 cm., \% lbs., Elk River. April 25, 1 example 58 cm., 2% lbs., Bohemia River. Several large examples were seen at Cherry Tree Point, taken with a shore seine in brackish water. PcECILIIDjE. 33. Fundulus heteroclitus (Linnaeus). Bull minnow. Six examples taken in the Sassafras River. 34. Fundulus diaphanus (LeSueur). Bull minnow. Abundant. BELONIDiE. 35. Tylosurus marinus ( Walbaum). Silver gar. One example, 40.1 cm. long, taken in Turner's Creek, Sassafras River. Gasterosteid^e. 36. Apeltes quadracus (Mitchill). Stickleback. Taken only in the Sassafras River, Turner's Creek, and at Battery Station. Apparently not abundant. AtHERINIDjE. 37. Menidia beryllina (Cope). Silversides. Abundant in the Sassafras River and Turner's Creek. A very few examples taken at Lapidum, Maryland, Battery Station and in the Bohemia River. CeNTRARCHIDjE. 38. Enneacanthus gloriosus (Hoi brook). Several examples taken in sluggish streams tributary to the Sassafras River. A single example from the inner basin at Battery Station. Radcliffe and Welsh — Notes on Fishes from Chesapeake Bay. 41 39. Lepotnis auritus (Linnaeus). Moccasin. Common in the Elk and Bohemia rivers. One small example from Swan Creek. 40. Lepotnis gibbosus (Linnaeus). Moccasin, Tobacco-box. Abundant. 41. Micropterus dolomieu (Lacepede). Black bass. One example, 35.2 cm. in length, weighing 1^4 lbs. taken in a pound- net in the Bohemia Eiver. This example was afflicted with " pop-eye." No others were seen. 42. Micropterus salmoides ( Lacepede) . Oswego bass. BLACK BASS. Common in the Elk and Bohemia Rivers where many are taken in pound-nets. The largest example seen was 49 cm. in length and weighed \% lbs. Two small examples seen in Swan Creek. PERCIDjE. 43. Perca flavescens (Mitchill.) Yellow perch. Abundant. It would appear from our measurements that in this region this species attains a length of from 6 to 9 cm. one year after hatching, and first breeds at the age of two years, when a length of 15 to 19 cm. is attained. 44. Hadropterus sellaris Radcliffe & Welsh. The type and co-type, both 4.9 cm. in length, were taken with a 25 ft. seine, in a swift riffle of Swan Creek, near Havre-de-Grace, Maryland, on May 2d. For description of this species see Bull. Bur. Fisheries, Vol. XXXII, 1912 (1914), p. 29-32, pi. XVIII. 45. Bolesoma olmstedi (Storer). Everywhere abundant. The differences in size and coloration between the sexes of this species, which was in breeding dress, were very striking. The average length of 38 adult males (5.5 to 8.7 cm.) was 7.36 cm. Forty-five adult females (4 to 7.8 cm.) averaged 6.15 cm. in length. All these fish were in spawning condition. The average length of examples taken in the smaller streams was considerably less than of those from the shores of the larger rivers. In the breeding males the ground color was a dark olive gray, darkest dorsally, with saddles and W-shaped markings indistinct or absent; vertical fins greatly enlarged ; membranes between the first and third dorsal spines mesially jet black, rest of spinous dorsal with irregular plumbeous mottlings; second dorsal and caudal with numerous wavy plumbeous lines, these not extending onto lowermost rays of caudal ; anal and ventrals slate-gray to slate-black; pectorals lighter with traces of mottlings. 42 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Breeding females showed the usual coloration of the species. In the male the anal papilla is small, bilobate, the sperm duct opening at the tip of the papilla between the lobes, while in the female the open- ing of the oviduct is much larger, and situated immediately in front of a large, expanded, heart-shaped papilla, three times as large as that of the male. SERRANID.E. 46. Roccus lineatus (Bloch). Bass, striped bass, rockfish, rock. Common. Many ripe males were taken throughout April, but no ripe females were seen. The males of this species mature when very small. The following measurements were taken : 1 ripe male 28 cm. long, weight % hb. 1 ripe male 26.5 cm. long, weight % lb. 1 ripe male 24 cm. long, weight ^ lb. 1 ripe male 21.8 cm. long. One female with roe well developed, but quite hard, measured 96 cm. in length and weighed 23 lbs. 47. Morone americana (Gmelin). White perch. By far the most abundant resident species. The largest example seen was 35 cm. long, and weighed 1J^ lbs. Individuals 26 to 28 cm. in length, weighing 1 lb., were abundant. Small individuals, however, are so exceedingly numerous that the average weight per fish, as taken in the pound-nets, runs from .15 to .17 lbs. Examples of both sexes 12.5 to 17 cm. in length, averaging.il lbs. in weight, were found in spawning condition. Eggs of this species were first received at the Battery Station on April 4th, and on the 8th of May the breeding season was by no means over, a large proportion of the females still carrying unripe eggs. Pl.EURONECTID^E. 48. Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum). Flounder. One example 32.5 cm. long, received from Eobin's Point, Maryland. The water here is usually brackish. SOLEID.E. 49. Achirus fasciatus Lacepede. Hog-choker. Abundant. Vol. 30, pp. 43-50 March 31, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NEW GENERA AND SPECIES OF AMERICAN MUSCOID DIPTERA. BY CHARLES H. T. TOWNSEND. The following are descriptions of new forms of exceptional interest, which it seems desirable to publish at this time. Spirobolomyia new genus. Genotype, Sarcophaga singularis Aldrich, 1916, Sarcophaga & Allies, 184-6. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows: Vibrissal axis hardly two-thirds head-height. Vibrissae not constricting facial plate. Proboscis about three-fourths head-height. Frontals diverging obliquely two bristles below base of antennae. Parafacials about half as wide as clypeus. Cheeks less than half eye-length. Preacrostichals present but very small. Lateral scutellars two. Hind tibiae of male with only short villosity on distal half or less. No median macrochaetae on second or third abdomi- nal segments. Forceps of male large and carinate. First hypopygial tergite of female entire. In addition to the material cited by Aldrich, the National Museum collection contains a specimen reared by Mr. H. S. Barber from a dead Julus sp., from Jackson's Island, Md. Thelyiepticocnema new genus. Genotype, Sarcophaga incurva Aldrich, op. cit. , 260-2. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows: Vibrissal axis much less than head- height and slightly less than antennal axis. Clypeus not as wide, the epistoma but moderately projected. Vertex of male over two-thirds width of one eye, that of female nearly eye-width. Both verticals devel- oped in male. Frontals diverging one bristle or so below base of anten- nae. Frontalia of male over twice as wide as one parafrontal in middle, those of female slightly less than same. Cheeks of male hardly two-thirds eye-length, those of female over two-fifths same. Preacrostichals present. 13— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (43) 44 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Squamae longer than wide. No median macrochaetae on second abdomi- nal segment; fairly strong macrochaetae on third. Male hypopygium small, the forceps minute. First hypopygial tergite of female incised. Arista only short-plumose half way. Male tibiae not villous. In the genotype the hind legs of the male are remarkably specialized for grasping the female, the tibia being shortened to fit against heavy spine- brushes or pads on the flexor surface of the femur. A male was taken by myself on Manzanares Creek, in the Pecos Forest Reserve, New- Mexico, at about 7500 feet, on carpet of short herbage on hillside in open pine forest, August 30, 1916. The abdomen is bright silvery pollinose ; with a median vitta, and a waved vitta on each side of same, black. S. insurgens Aid. is evidently a male of incurva in which the development of the sexual character of the hind legs was arrested soon after inception. A female which I regard as congeneric was taken by myself near Fran- conia, New Hampshire, July 24, 1915. Titanogrypa new genus. Genotype, Sarcophaga melampyga var. alata Aldrich, op. cit. , 109-10, raised hereby to specific rank. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows: Vibrissal axis much less than head-height. Clypeus rather narrowed, but the vibrissae well separated. Proboscis longer than head-height. Arista short-plumose half way. Eyes descending low, the cheeks little over one-fourth eye-length. Male ver- tex fully three-fourths eye, that of female hardly as wide as eye. Fron- talia and parafrontalia not narrowed posteriorly, nearly or quite equal to each other in width in both sexes. Outer verticals long and strong in male. Two reclinate fronto-orbitals in both sexes. Frontals diverging one bristle below base of antennae. Parafacialia little over half as wide as clypeus. Facio-orbitals in row of microchaetae only. Postsuturals three. Lateral scutellars two, no discals; between the two laterals on each side the edge of scutellum is furnished in both sexes with a thick patch of short specialized hairs. Costal spine strong. First vein bristled half way, the third to small crossvein. Squamae longer than broad. None of male tibiae villous. Long strong erect median marginals on in- termediate abdominal segments in both sexes, anal segment with a median discal pair in front of marginal row. Male claws only a little elongate. Male hypopygium rather small. First hypopygial tergite of female concealed within a long and narrow vertical slit formed by anal segment and bordered with decussate bristles. A long series of both sexes of this species was taken by Mrs. Townsend and myself at Miami, Florida, in 1908. Many females were dissected — TD517, 586, 1325, 1328, etc. The first-stage maggot possesses a most astonishing development of the oral portions of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton, unlike anything so far known. The generic name refers to this character. The allotype of S. melampyga Aid., from Key West, Fla., is this species. Townsend — New American Muscoid Diptera. 45 Wohlfahrtiopsis new genus. Genotype, Sarcophaga johnsoni Aldrich, op. cit. , 162-5. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows : Clypeus narrower, proboscis dis- tinctly exceeding head-height. Arista short-plumose two-thirds to three- fourths way. Male vertex fully as wide as eye, that of female wider. Frontals weakly divergent at base of antennae. Frontalia very broad, not narrowed. Parafacialia broader than clypeus, with hairs of even strength in irregular rows. Cheeks fully three-fifths eye-length. Post- suturals two. Squamae conspicuously longer than broad. No median marginals on segment two of abdomen. First hypopygial tergite of female incised. A very marked form approaching Wohlfahrtia in head characters, and confined to sea beaches. Rafaelia new genus. Genotype, Rafaelia rufiventris new name for Sarcophaga rufiventris Aldrich, op. cit., 150-1 (nee Wiedemann, 1830, Auss. Zweifl. II, 362). Differs from Johnsonia Coq. in hind crossvein being about half way between small crossvein and cubitus, costal spine strong, first and third veins partly bristled but the fifth bare, male without proclinate orbitals, female with two such, both verticals developed in both sexes, ocellars strong, and no median macrochaetae on second abdominal segment. Clypeus narrow, epistoma cut off. Frontals stopping at base of antennae. Tarsi elongate and thickened, especially those of female. Vibrissal axis shorter than antennal axis. Frontal profile bulged. Face only gently widened from front in both sexes, the male front only a little narrower than that of female. Macrochaetae strong. The apical cell is closed and more or less distinctly short-petiolate. The species is founded on a male and a female taken by myself at San Rafael, near Jicaltepec, on the Rio Nautla, State of Veracruz, June 20, 1896. They were labeled by Coquillett " Helicobia rufiventris Wied." with a query, but do not agree with Wiedemann's description. The form belongs unmistakably on external characters to the Johnsonia group-unit. Holotype, No. 20,947 U. S. N. M., female; allotype, male. Glaucosarcophaga new genus. Genotype, Glaucosarcophaga knabi new name for Sarcophaga villipes Aldrich, op. cit., 178-9 (nee Wulp, 1895, Biologia C.-A., Dipt. II, 269). Differs from Sarcophaga as follows : Vibrissal axis hardly three-fifths head-height and distinctly shorter than antennal axis. Epistoma but slightly projected beyond vibrissae, moderately wide, somewhat warped forward from plane of clypeus. Proboscis barely one-half head-height. Arista rather short-plumose on little over basal half. Female vertex fully equalling or exceeding eye, the front nearly equilateral. Frontals not divergent, stopping at base of antennae. Frontalia very wide, not narrowed, widening posteriorly, being in middle about two and one-half times as wide as one parafrontal. Ocellars strong. Parafacialia two- 46 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. thirds to three-fourths width of clypeus. Facio-orbitals in row of very fine and short hairs only. Cheeks hardly one-half eye-length. ,Post- acrostichals vestigial. Costal spine strong. First vein bristled less than half-way, third to or nearly to small crossvein. No median macrochaetae on second abdominal segment, weak median marginals on third, weak marginal row on anal segment. First hypopygial tergite forming wide vertical slit bordered with decussate bristles. The male is not known. The species is founded on two females taken by Mr. F. Knab at Cor- doba, Veracruz, April 1 and 10, 1908. It lacks preacrostichals and other- wise fails to agree with Wulp's description of villipes. Named in honor of Mr. F. Knab. Holotype, No. 20,948 U. S. N. M. Acridiophaga new genus. Genotype, Sarcophaga aculeata Aldrich, op. cit., 143-4. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows: Vibrissal axis not over three-fifths head-height, shorter than antennal axis. Clypeus broader than length of third antennal joint, rather shortened ; epistoma broad, well projected below, nearly in plane of clypeus. Facialia rather flattened, the vibrissal angles considerably narrowing the facial plate. Proboscis about two- thirds head-height. Male vertex less than one-half eye, that of female little over three-fourths eye. Frontals diverging obliquely one or two bristles below base of antennae. Outer verticals not developed in male. Male with two reclinate fronto-orbitals. Frontalia narrowing posteriorly in both sexes, narrower than one parafrontal in female. Parafacialia over half width of clypeus, rather thickly hairy on orbital half. Facio- orbitals represented by four or five bristly hairs a little longer than the others. Cheeks a little less than half eye-length. Three strong post- suturals. Three or four preacrostichals. Squamae rather longer than broad. None of male tibiae villous. Median marginals of second ab- dominal segment weak or vestigial, weak marginal row on third and anal segments. Male hypopygium rather small. First hypopygial tergite of female entire ; theca ending in spatulate lobes. This genus includes many species, most of which are particularly para- sitic on Acridiidae, ranging from the western States through tropical America to the Argentine. Metoposarcophaga new genus. Genotype, Sarcophaga pachyprocta R. R. Parker, 1916, Journ. N. Y. Ent. Soc, XXIV, 171-5. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows: Lower profile of head short, the vibrissal axis strikingly less than antennal axis. Clypeus rather nar- rowed and elongate, carina more or less distinct. Epistoma projecting only a little, somewhat warped. Proboscis hardly two-thirds head-height. Arista not very long-plumose. Male vertex three-fourths eye, that of female fully as wide as eye. Frontals diverging one bristle below base of antennae. Outer verticals strong in male. Frontalia appreciably nar- Townsend — New American Muscoid Diptera. 47 rowed posteriorly in both sexes, nearly or about as wide as one para- frontal. Parafacialia about two-thirds width of clypeus. Facio-orbitals in row of fine hairs only. Cheeks of male about one-third eye-length, those of female two-fifths same. Three postsuturals. Three strong pre- acrostichals, the hind ones long. First vein bristled about half-way, third to small crossvein. None of male tibiae villous. Front and middle metatarsi about half the length of their tibiae. Male claws not very elongate. Median marginals present on second abdominal segment of female, but weak or vestigial in male. Strong median marginals on third segment of both sexes. Male hypopygium large, the first tergite disk-like with posterior exposure. First hypopygial tergite of female entire. This form may be recognized at once by its much produced frontal profile, combined with strong preacrostichals. Raimondia new genus. Genotype, Raimondia uruhuasi n. sp. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows: Vibrissa] axis fully three-fourths head-height, a little less than antenna! axis. Clypeus narrow and elon- gate, only a little wider than facialia; carina prominent, epistoma nar- row and but little projected beyond vibrissae. Facialia very wide, con- siderably flattened but showing convexity. Vibrissal angles scarcely constricting facial plate. Proboscis shorter than head-height. Antennae inserted slightly below eye-middle, second joint moderately long, third joint about one and one-half times second. Arista weakly plumose less than two-thirds way. Female vertex not as wide as eye. Frontals di- verging in gradual curve but stopping about even with end of frontalia. One decussate pair of reclinate fronto-orbitals. Frontalia very broad, wider than one parafrontal in middle, gradually narrowed posteriorly. Parafacialia very broad, quite as wide as length of third antennal joint, with median longitudinal patch of hairs in about three irregular rows. Cheeks rather over half eye-length. Three strong postsuturals. Preacros- tichals not represented even by bristles. One strong postacrostichal. Late- ral scutellars two, the hind ones approximated. Squamae longer than broad. Tarsi slightly elongate, female claws long. No median marginals on second abdominal segment, rather strong but slender median marginals on third segment, marginal row of slender ones on anal segment. First hypopygial tergite apparently normal. Male unknown. Raimondia uruhuasi n. sp. Length of body, 12 mm. ; of wing, 10.5 mm. One female, Uruhuasi Bridge, Canyon of Rio San Gaban, Peru, about 6,500 feet, February 3, 1910, on flowers of Baccharis sp. (Townsend). Blackish ; head silvery with a faint golden shade, giving way to blackish with change of light incidence on parafrontals except anterior end, in transverse band even with second antennal joint, and in an elongate marking on parafacials next eye. Cheeks and occiput more or less ashy- brown pollinose, thinly black-hairy. Frontalia brown, palpi black. 48 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Antennae black, third joint with a brown sheen. Thorax and scutelhun ashy-brown pollinose, more or less silvered in oblique view; vittae black with wide brown borders, the whole of the three vittae changeable to brown in front view. Abdomen black, pale brownish to silvery pollinose, a wide black median vitta, the hind borders of segments more blackish or subshining. Legs black. Wings clear, with narrowly clouded cross- veins. Tegulae whitish, with pale fuscous borders and yellowish edges. Holotype, No. 20,949 U. S. N. M. This striking genus is named as a tribute to the memory of that en- thusiastic, capable and indefatigable Italian naturalist, Antonio Raimondi, who penetrated nearly every corner of Peru during his residence of nine- teen years in that country, and who has left us in his work " El Peru " a detailed account of his early ambitions and subsequent travels, told in a style that is charming in its simplicity and directness. Cistudinomyia new genus. Genotype, Sarcophaga cistudinis Aldrich, op. cit., 278-80. Differs from Sarcophaga as follows: Striking head profile of Eutheresia and Paratheresia, the vibrissal axis much shorter than antenna! axis and equal to about two-thirds head-height. Clypeus broad and short, the carina more or less distinct ; epistoma much narrowed by vibrissal angles and well projected below them. Facialia strongly arcuate, considerably flattened. Proboscis little over half head-height. Third antennal joint one to one and a half times second. Arista thickly long-plumose practi- cally to tip. Male vertex almost as wide as eye, that of female nearly or more than one and one-fourth times eye, the front strongly bulged in profile. Frontals thickly placed, not divergent, stopping at base of an- tennae. Outer verticals developed in male. Frontalia broader than one parafrontal in middle and distinctly narrowing posteriorly in both sexes. Parafacialia scarcely narrowed below, about as wide as frontalia, with two or three irregular rows of very fine hairs or only scattered hairs. Cheeks of female nearly three-fifths eye-length, those of male over half same. Sternopleurals three to six, normally four. Postsuturals two, with two to four short bristles in front. None of male tibiae villous. No median macrochaetae on second abdominal segment, a marginal row on third and anal segments in both sexes. Male hypopygium small, with small forceps. First hypopygial tergite of female entire, showing a strongly arcuate outline. This most interesting form, which is far removed from the Sarcophaga type, is evidently a true parasite confined to the box-turtle. Eutheresiops new genus. Genotype, Eutheresiops trixoides n. sp. Differs from Eutheresia as follows : Vertex about as wide as eye. Fron- talia broader; parafacialia nearly as broad as anterior end of frontalia, and bearing a small patch of hair below next orbit. Cheeks over one- half eye-length. Eyes hairy. Antennae shorter, third joint two to two Townsend — New American Muscoid Diptera. 49 and one-half times second. Epistoma proportionately broader. Three sternopleurals. Two lateral scutellars, apical decussate pair, and discal pair. Very weak median marginals on abdominal segment two, strong ones on segment three: discal row on anal segment, with only weak bristles behind. Palpi not enlarged. Male unknown. Eutheresiops trixoides n. sp. Length of body, 8.5 mm. ; of wing, 8 mm. One female, Mound Valley, Sierra Madre of western Chihuahua, about 7500 feet, August 23, 1909 (Townsend). Blackish, ashy-silvery pollinose. Frontalia brown, palpi fulvous, first two antennal joints rufous, third antenna] joint brown or blackish. First abdominal segment and hind borders of intermediate segments more or less blackish, the rest of abdomen and all of thorax and scutellum polli- nose. The usual four brown thoracic vittae. Legs black. Wings clear. Tegulae whitish. Holotype, No. 20,950 U. S. N. M. Jicaltepecia new genus. Genotype, Jicaltepecia rafaela n. sp. Differs from the other genera of the Compsilura group as follows : Eyes bare. Facialia ciliate about one-third way. Parafacialia only a little narrowed below, with rows of fine hairs the whole length. Vertex about two-thirds eye, the front and face gradually widening from same, the face below being about one and one-half times eye. Cheeks less than one-fourth eye-length. Outer verticals not developed. Frontalia about same width as one parafrontal ; latter scarcely narrowing posteriorly, the former strongly so. No true median discals on any of abdominal seg- ments, the anal segments with some short lateral discals, the third seg- ment at times with scarcely differentiated short discals. Male unknown. Jicaltepecia rafaela n. sp. Length of body, 7 mm. ; of wing, 5.5 mm. One female, San Rafael, Jicaltepec, Veracruz, March 2, 1896 (Townsend). Head golden, occiput cinereous, frontalia velvet-brown, antennae blackish, palpi fulvous. Thoracic scutum pale golden; with four black vittae, the inner ones linear and narrow, the outer broad and blotchlike, all four united behind suture by a black blotch. Scutellum golden, show- ing blackish basally. Abdomen black, basal half or so of segments two to four pale golden pollinose. Legs brownish. Wings clear. Tegulae yellowish-white. Holotype, No. 20,951 U. S. N. M. Euphoroceropsis new genus. Genotype, Euphoroceropsis alba n. sp. In form like Euphorocera, from which it differs as follows: Cubitus with only trace of wrinkle. Vibrissal axis about half antennal axis. 50 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Second antennal joint short; third fully four and one-half times second, widening gradually toward apex. Arista longer than whole antenna, gradually tapered. Vertex about eye- width, front and face gradually widening from same. Anal segment thickly bristled, especially on hind half. Ovipositor chitinous, rounded-spatulate. Male unknown. Euphoroceropsis alba n. sp. Length of body, 13 mm.; of wing, 11 mm. One female, Tampico, Mexico, reared by Mr. D. L. Crawford, February 19, 1914, from lepidop- terous pupa whose caterpillar had fed on foliage of avocado-pear. Face silvery-white pollinose. Antennae blackish, third joint reddish basally. Palpi fulvous. Frontalia brownish, parafrontalia silvery-ashy; occiput ashy, beard white. Thorax and scutellum silvery-ashy pollinose, with the usual four vittae. Abdomen blackish, segments two to four silvery pollinose on basal half more or less. Legs blackish. Wings clear. Tegulae white. Holotype, No. 20,952 U. S. N. M. Vol. 30, pp. 51-62 March 31, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE COWHAGE AND RELATED SPECIES. BY CHARLES V. PIPER. In connection with economic investigations of the Florida Velvet Bean and other cultivated forms of Stizolobium, various related species characterized by having stinging hairs on the calyx and pods, have been studied both from growing plants and from herbarium material. The stinging hairs from one or more of these species were formerly used in medicine as an an- thelmintic. This substance was known as cowhage, couhage or cowitch, the names also being applied to the plant which produces the substance. The medicinal use of cowhage as an anthelmintic was first recorded by Browne (Browne, Patrick. Civil and Natural History of Jamaica, p. 291. 1756) and later described in detail by Bancroft (Bancroft, Edward. An Essay on the Natural History of Guiana, pp. 390 et seq. 1769). The name cowhage or cowitch is of East Indian origin, ac- cording to Watt (Watt, George. Dictionary of Economic Products of India, 5:286), a corruption of kiwach or kiwanch, the Hindu name of the plant. While the name is of East Indian origin, the official cowhage seems to have been secured wholly, or at least mainly, from the West Indian plant. With few exceptions botanists have considered that there is but one species of cowhage, to which the name Mucuna pruriens is generally applied. The facts are far too complex to permit of such a simple disposition. The pre-Linnaean history of the various plants referred to cowhage is much complicated, but at least three different plants were involved. Parkinson in 1640 described a cowhage from Surat, India, with black shining seeds. Morrison in 1680 de- 14— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (51) 52 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. scribed a cowhage also from Surat, but with spotted seeds. A few years later Ray secured what was evidently this same spotted seeded plant from the East Indies. At first he regarded it as identical with Parkinson's black-seeded bean, but after- wards in deference to Plukenet's opinion, considered it distinct. Still later various botanists found and recorded cowhage-like plants in Ceylon, Java, Malabar and Amboina. In the West Indies similar plants were found in Jamaica and Barbados. The generic name Stizolobium was proposed by Browne (Brown, Patrick. The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica, p. 290. 1756) and based on two species, namely, the common cowhage of Jamaica which Browne considered the same as one described from Ceylon by Burmann, and the " Smaller cow- hage " of Jamaica, a plant which remains wholly obscure, but is probably merely a form of common cowhage. Browne did not use binomials, but his generic name Stizolobium has been accepted by various botanists in preference to Mucuna, among them Medicus (Medicus, Friedrich Casimir. Vorlesungen Churpf. Phys. Ges.); Persoon (Persoon, Christian Hendrick. Synopsis Plantarum, 2:298. 1807.); Kuntze (Kuntze, Otto. Revisio Generum Plantarum, 1:207. 1891.); and Hiern (Hiern, William Philip. Catalogue of the African Plants Collected by Dr. Friedrich Welwitsch, 1 : 250. 1896). Stizolobium as here used, is distinguishable from Mucuna by the pods having neither wings nor plaits; by the relatively small seeds with thin testa; and by the short hilum. Two sub- genera may be characterized as follows: Hilum surrounded by a large caruncle ; stems annual, herbaceous Chialule Hilum naked or with rudimentary caruncle; stems woody or half woody Brachyule Chialule includes Stizolobium deeringianum Bort, the Florida velvet- bean, and species with a similar hilum. Brachyule embraces Stizolobium pruriens and the following other species : Stizolobium bracteatum Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 208. 1891. Carpopogon bracteatum Roxb. Hort. Beng. 54. 1814. Mucuna bracteata DC. Prodr. 2:406. 1825. S. comorense n. comb. M. comorensis Vatke, Oestr. Bot. Zeitschr. 28:262. 1878. S. sericophyllum n. comb. M. sericophylla Perkins, Frag. Fl. Philipp. 1:86. 1904. Piper — The Cowhage and Related Species. 53 S. coriaceum Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 207. 1891. M. coriacea Baker in Oliver Fl. Trop. Afr. 2:187. 1891. S. axillare n. comb. M. axillaris Baker, Journ. Linn. Soc. 22:465. 1887. S. rhynchosoides n. comb. M. rhynchosoides Taub. ; Engl. Bot. Jabrb. 23:194. 1897. S. poggei Hiern. Cat. Welw. Afr. PI. 1:252. 1896. M. poggei Taub.; Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 23:194. 1897. S. melanocarpum Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 208. 1891. M. melanocarpa Hochst. in A. Rich. Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1:215. 1847. S. stans Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 208. 1891. M. stans Welw. in Oliver Fl. Trop. Afr. 2:186. 1871. 1M. erecta Baker, Kew Bull. 65. 1895. S. mollissimum n. comb. M. mollisiima Kurz, Journ. As. rioc. Bengal 43.2 187. 1874. STIZOLOBIUM PRURIENS (L. ) Medicus, Vorles. Churpf. Phys. Ges. 2:399. 1787. Dolichos pruriens L. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10:1162. 1759. Mucuna pruriens DC. Prodr. 2:405. 1825. Linnaeus' name is based on the description and plate of Rumphius' Cacara pruritus (Herbarium Amboinense 5:393. tab. 142. 1747.) and therefore the species must be the plant native to Amboina. No herbarium material has been found in any of the great herbaria that can possibly be the plant of Rumphius. Upon the writer's request, Dr. J. C. Konigsberger, Director of the Botanical Garden at Buitenzorg, Java, has succeeded in obtaining mature pods of the cowhage native to Amboina, and these prove to be identical with the plant common in the Philippine Islands. From ample Philippine material, the following de- scription is drawn. The species belongs to the section Brachi/ule and is at once distinguished by the seeds from S. pruritum. Annual vine twining to a height of several meters; stems terete, some- what angled or striate longitudinally, sparsely pubescent with short stout retrorse hairs ; leaflets plane, rather firm when mature, ovate, the lateral oblique, mostly obtuse, commonly cuspidate pointed, sparsely appressed pubescent on each side, paler beneath; raceme pendent, densely flowered, 10 to 30 cm. long; flowers dark purple; pedicels slender, 5 to 10 mm. long; calyx scarcely saccate, densely appressed canescent without and within, armed on the exterior with numerous golden stinging hairs, the lobes acute ; corolla 4 cm. long, the keel exceeding the wings, glabrous except the base of the wings which are densely short bearded on the lower edge near the base; pods slightly falcate, 8 to 11 cm. long, com- pressed, 15 to 18 mm. broad and half as thick, 5 to 7-seeded, distinctly constricted between the seeds, densely covered with reddish-brown ap- pressed stinging hairs about 2 mm. long; longitudinal ridge obsolete or evident only on the basal half of the pod ; seeds buff, densely speckled with dark brown, shiny, rhomboid-orbicular in outline, much compressed, 54 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 10 to 12 mm. long, the linear hilum % as long and surrounded by a very low black caruncle. , Fort McKinley, Rizal Province, Luzon, P. I. Merrill No. 6348, Sep- tember, 1908; also "cultivated at Manila" ; Montalban, Rizal Province, Luzon, P. I. C. B. Robinson, No. 9648, January 23, 1910; Merrill, March 10, 1906; Laguna Province, P. I., C. B. Robinson, March 5-11, 1910. All of the above material is in the Philippine Bureau of Science. In the Herbarium of the Botanical Garden at Berlin is additional material as follows: Philippines: Montalban, Warburg No. 12,585; Mt. Merivales, War- burg No. 12,897. Celebes: Minahassa, Koorders No. 17,639B in 1897. This species is closely allied to Stizolobium sericophyllum (Perkins) which has similar pods and seeds, but with thickish densely soft pubes- cent leaves, the pubescence not appressed. The constrictions between the seeds form nearly complete partitions within the pod. Through the Office of Seed and Plant Introduction this species has been introduced as follows, the seeds collected by the writer: S. P. I. 31,602 from La Carlota, Negros; No. 31,603 from Bosoc, Negros; and No. 31,604 from Alabang, Luzon, all in the Philippine Islands. Seeds of what is apparently the same species were received from Medan, Sumatra (S. P. I. No. 26,663) but these failed to germinate. The plant is not strictly annual, but dies after fruiting. Growing plants in Florida lived three years without blooming. STIZOLOBIUM PRURITUM ( Wight) n. comb. Mucuna prurita Wight in Hooker, Botanical Miscellany, 2: 348. 1831. The original description is as follows: " Mucuna prurita ; floribus thyrsoideis, leguminibus oblongo-curvatis compressis ecarinatis urentibus, foliolis subtus hirsutis, intermedio rhomboideo obtuso, lateralibus extus dilatis. (Suppl. Tab. XIII. ) " Carpopogon pruriens. Roxb. Hort. Beng. p. 54. "Dolichos pruriens. Roxb. Drawing in Mus. of E. Ind. C. n. 284. (an Linn et alior). " Stizolobium pruriens. Spre.ng. Syst. Veget. v. 3, p. 252? " Nai Corana. Rheed. Malab. v. 8, p. 61. (. 35. " Cacara pruritus. Rumph. Amb. v. 6. p. 393. t. 142. ' ' Poonepoosikie. Tamul. "Stems suffruticose, twining, branched; branches rounded, hairy. Petioles much enlarged at the base, 6-8 inches long, cylindrical, hairy. Leaves ternate, middle leaflet rhomboid, or rhomboideo-elliptical, obtuse, mucronate; lateral ones much dilated on the outside, and also mucronate; on short, thick, rusty, tomentose stalks; above nearly glabrous, below silvery, from short appressed white hairs; the veins very prominent beneath. Stipules filiform-subulate, those of the leaflets much smaller than the others. Racemes peduncled, axillary, pendulous, much shorter than the petioles, thyrsoid. Flowers large, purple. Pedicels in threes, short, arising from a small thick tubercle. Calyx pubescent, 2-lipped ; upper lip entire, obtuse; under one 3-cleft, the lobes acute. Corolla: Piper — The Cowhage and Related Species. 55 Vexillum not half the length of the keel, varying in colour from dirty- white to pale purple; Wings shorter than the keel, dark purple; Keel cylindrical to near the end, where it suddenly curves upwards, and termi- nates in a sharp spinous point. Stamens diadelphous ; Anthers alternately linear and globular. Pistil: Germen short, hairy ; Style filiform, pubes- cent for its whole length ; Stigma subcapitate. Legume 3-4 inches long, and bent at the extremities, three-fourths of an inch to an inch, or nearly so, broad, slightly compressed on the valves, not at all carinated, contracted between the seeds, and hence subtorulose, entirely covered with a thick coating of erect, white, prurient* hairs, which usually turn black in drying, and brown in maturity. Seeds 4-5, oval, separated by cellular partitions, not bound by a circular linear hilum, but attached to a large lateral funiculus. "Found twining in hedges and among bushes, usually near water. In the neighborhood of Negapatam, it is common in sandy soil. It flowers during the rainy and cool seasons, and ripens its fruit about March. It may be considered, indeed, extensively distributed over India ; but nowhere perhaps so abundantly as in the Presidency of Madras. The young pods are dressed and eaten by the natives. ' ' It would appear from a query of De Candolle, " an Planta Americana eadem certe ac Indica?" that there is some doubt as to the identity of the American and Indian plants named Mucuna pruriens ; in my opinion not without reason, for I suspect De Candolle's character is taken from the former, and Sprengel's from the latter. The keeled legumes and acuminated leaves which distinguish the first are certainly at variance with my plant. On comparing my drawing with Woodville's plate, Tab. CLXXIII, a very remarkable difference appears in the form of the racemes, and also in their size. The form of the segments of the calyx, in his figure, is very different from those of my plant ; in his, they are represented as long, subulate teeth ; in mine, they are short and triangu- lar, with their upper segment nearly a correct triangle. "(Upon a careful comparison of Dr. Wight's figure and specimens, with the figure of Jacquin, (Americ. t. 122,) and American individuals in my Herbarium, both from St. Vincent and from Guiana, I am inclined to agree with Dr. Wight, and to consider the American and Asiatic species to be different. In our plant the leaves are smaller, the leaflets more obtuse (not acuminated), and the middle leaflet more truly rhomboidal, the flowers are more constantly in threes, and, what affords perhaps the best character, the pods are greatly broader, compressed, free from any raised line on the back of the valve, whilst in the American M. pruriens the pods are much narrower, terete, and keeled on the valves. Rumphius' plate is very characteristic of our plant, and Jacquin's is equally excellent as a representation of the American one; while Rheede's is less happy, especially in the leaves. Under these circumstances, I trust Dr. Wight will approve of my giving the specific name already adopted in the Her- barium Amboinense, to designate the Eastern species. H.)." Three characters are emphasized in this description, namely the shape of the calyx lobes, the form of the leaflets, and the absence of carina of keel on the back of the pod valve. The calyx differences referred to by Wight may be seen by comparing Woodville's plate drawn from a plant in the Banksian herbarium, with the colored plate of Wight. There is considerable variation, however, in the calyx lobes of all the Stizolobiums which lack stinging hairs so that this character can not be relied upon for specific identification, the variation including both actual and relative "The American M. pruriens is the famous Cowhage or Cow-itch, employed as a vermifuge in the West Indies. 56 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. length and the acuteness of the apex. The variation in the species with stinging hairs on the calyx and pods is of the same sort. In Woodville's plate the calyx-lobes are especially elongated, however, but this we sus- pect is in part an error of the artist. At least in no specimens examined are they quite so long and slender. The leaf differences referred to are perhaps valid. In all the Stizolo- biums the leaflets vary greatly in size dependent on the vigor of the plant or the relative amount of shade. While the apex of the leaves is usually acute or acuminate and mucronate, they may be obtuse and mucronate on the same plant, especially on small leaflets, but in the plant we take to be the same as Wight's they are mostly obtuse. The most important character is the pod, the valves of which are said to lack the longitudinal keel or carina. In all the forms studied the keel is present in matured pods though absent in full-sized unripe pods. This fact gives rise to the suspicion that Wight was led to error by not possess- ing fully matured fruit. In reference to this and other matter Dr. Otto Stapf writes under date of August 26, 1912, as follows: " The Herbarium, " Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, "26. 8. 12. " The plant from which Wight's figure of Mucuna prurita (text) was prepared is undoubtedly from the Presidency of Madras. We possess the original drawing with the Tamil name written on in Tamil charac- ters; but no locality is stated. As to the discrepancy between the name in the text and the plate Wight himself in a letter to W. Hooker of 5th March 1832 deplores it as regrettable, without, however, explaining how it came about. Very likely the plate was finished and struck off before Wight was quite clear about the distinctiveness of M. prurita from Asia and M. pruriens from America. From the letter referred to it also ap- pears that Wight had originally another name for M. prurita in mind, but fell in with W. Hooker's suggestion, although somewhat reluct- antly. " We possess a specimen communicated by Wight to W. Hooker and written up as M. pruriens from 'Madras.' It is the plant figured in Hook. Bot. Misc. 11, (suppl. tab. XIII). There are two other speci- mens also from Wight, one with the Herb. Wight propr.' label and the other from the distribution set; but neither has ripe pods, so that your suspicion that Wight's description of the pods as being ' not at all cari- nated ' was due to the pods being immature, is evidently well founded. "As to your question (1) is the name M. prurita to be credited to Hooker or Wight? I am inclined to vote for Wight who is responsible for the publication. What Hooker did was antecedent to the publica- tion and the utmost a sticker for historical justice could claim would be M. prurita Hook, ex Wight. "Ad question (2), I would reply, the name M. prurita stands on the Madras plant, as described and figured by Wight. Even if it should turn out that Rumphius's Cacara pruritus is not Mucuna prurita Wight, from Madras, but another Mucuna, the rule of the conservation of the earliest specific epithet could not be invoked as Cacara pruritus is pre- Linnean." The actual identity of Wight's plant is important from a nomencla- torial standpoint. There are three subspecies closely resembling his Piper — The Cowhage and Related Species. 57 plate, which are most easily separable by the seeds. One, very wide- spread, has the seeds gray marbled with black ; the second is charac- terized by shiny black seeds, and the third by brown seeds. Id Wight's plate the immature (?) seeds are represented as pale chestnut from which it might well be that his description is based on the brown-seeded plant. As a brown-seeded plant that we have cultivated for three years has the leaflets nearly always obtuse the conclusion seems justifiable that it is the same as that described by Wight. This was received from I. H. Burkill, Esq., Reporter of Economic Products of India, and said to be from wild plants growing in the neighborhood of Calcutta, 8. P. I. No. 25,263. It has been grown in the greenhouse at Washington and two seasons at Biloxi, Miss., and Gainesville, Fla. At Biloxi it had barely matured pods when killed by frost December 6. To Wight's description may be added: Mature pods 6 to 7 cm. long, subterete, falcate, covered with erect reddish-brown easily-deciduous stinging hairs, each valve of the pod with a strong, nearly central keel extending the whole length; seeds pale to dark brown, about 12 mm. long, 8 mm. wide, not much flattened, the caruncle white. On immature pods the pubescence is at first greenish-yellow. Before maturity the hairs on each side of the keel turn reddish first so the pod has the appearance of being longitudinally striped with differently colored hairs. Other lots of seed were received from Waliar, Malabar, India, No. 01,664 and Kistna, Madras, No. 01,668. Both proved indistinguishable from No. 25,263. Stizolobium pruritum officinale n. subsp. Leaflets mostly obtuse, inucronate, paler and more pubescent beneath, usually about 10 cm. long; pods falcate, 6 to 7 cm. long, each valve strengthened by a longitudinal nearly central keel extending the entire length, and usually a secondary imperfect ridge near the distal end, the whole covered with erect reddish-brown hairs; seeds 10 to 12 mm. long, 6 to 8 mm. wide, not much flattened, the ground color gray, finely sprinkled with minute irregular brown specks and more or less marbled with black, especially on the back; caruncle white, prominent. The type was grown from seed obtained from Dr. William Fawcett, Kingston, Jamaica, under S. P. I. No. 21,566 and cultivated in 1909 at Biloxi, Miss. The type specimen is preserved in the Economic Her- barium of the Bureau of Plant Industry. On immature pods the hairs are yellowish and before ripening the hairs on the keel and margins redden first, so that there is the appear- ance of two longitudinal rows of pale hairs on each side. This is the common cowhage of the West Indies, apparently native in America and the only form which does not seem distinguishable from the commonest East Indian form as well as from that generally distributed in Africa, Madagascar, India, and some of the Malayan Islands. As all of its close relatives are Old World plants there can be no question as to 58 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. its being endemic there. Its occurrence in Jamaica, Barbados and Guiana previous to 1769 as well as its present wide dispersal in the American tropics, suggest strongly that it is also native to the New World, though it is possible that it may have been intentionally introduced by man. If we may rely on the testimony of Husbands, of Browne and of Ban- croft, that the negro slaves used the plant medicinally, this may have been sufficient incentive for them not only to bring it from Africa but to carry it wherever they went in the American tropics. However, there is no evidence that the negroes in Africa did or do use the plant in a medicinal way. If such is the case no mention is made of the fact in numerous books of African botany and travel examined. On the other hand, the plant was well known and long used medicinally by the natives of India, it being mentioned according to Watt (Diet. Ec. Prod. India. 5:286) in ancient Sanskrit works as an aphrodisiac, but its use as an anthelmintic was introduced in comparatively recent years. Roxburgh (Flora Indica 3:283. 1832) however writes: "Annual, twining. Racemes pendulous. Legumes armed with sting- ing hairs. " Dolichos pruriens, Linn. Supp. 657. &c. " Naicorana. Rheede. Mai. viii. t. 35. ' Teling.— Doola gonda. Sans.— Murkuti. Atma goopta ro ' Kupikuchoo. Beng.— Alkooschee. "Common in hedges, in most parts of India. Flowering time the cold season. (I have never been able to learn that the natives of these parts of India, make any use of any part of this plant, except the hairs of the legumes which they do not use as a medicine, (vermifuge) but as an ingredient to help to poison wells. However its having been of late taken inwardly to destroy worms, proves that it is not that poison they take it for; and it is more than likely that the other plants employed for the same base end, are fortunately much less dangerous than those who em- ploy them imagine. Indeed it is only the most ignorant superstitious Poligar Mountaineers who are known to attempt to poison water.") . Ainslee (Materia Medica 1:93. 1826), Bentley and Trimen (Medicinal Plants 2:78), and Watt (Diet. Ec. Prod. India 5:286) all assert that the natives of India eat the young, tender pods. This seems very question- able, but several closely related cultivated species which lack the stinging hairs on the pods are thus eaten. These cultivated plants have by sev- eral botanists been considered to be only varieties of the cowhage. The alternative supposition, namely, that the plant is native to the tropics of both hemispheres, remains. Engler (Engler, Adolph. Sit- zungsberichte der Preussichen Academie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin 1905, 1:180-231) has discussed at length the plants that occur in the tropics of both the Old and New Worlds. Some of these plants, like the cowhage, have their close relatives only in the other hemisphere. The list of plants common to the tropical America and Africa is a long one, and after excluding all species that may have been transported by ships, by ocean currents, by birds or by winds, there remain many for which none of these explanations can be accepted. The most satisfactory theory to Engler that will account for the facts is that there were for- Piper — The Cowhage and Related Species. 59 merly land connections or at least scattered islands between Brazil and Africa. The supposition that the plants may at some former time have migrated by way of northeast Asia and northwest America, Engler considers un- tenable because most of the plants occurring both in Africa and America are not found in Asia. In recent years the cowhage has been collected in many parts of the West Indian region. Specimens have been examined as follows: Jamaica, Constant Spring, Churchill, March 21, 1897; Cuba orientale, C. Wright No. 140; Porto Rico, Sintenis 2575, Heller 4403; Colombia, Santa Marta, Smith 638; Granada, St. Georges, Broadway, December, 1904; Venezuela, Tovar, Fendler 2200; Costa Rica, San Jose, Hoffman 47 ; Surinam, Hostmann 55; Brazil, Riedel ; Santo Domingo, Turpin ; Martinique, L. Hahn 446. From the Old World six different lots have been cultivated under their introduction numbers as follows : 21,954 From the Department of Agriculture, Buitenzorg, Java, through Dr. M. Treub. 24,422 From the same source as the preceding. 25,753 From Calcutta, India, through Consul-General W. H. Michael, the seed purchased from a seedsman. From Coimbatore, India, through Rev. Geo. N. Thomssen. Most of the herbarium material from India and Africa seems referable to this subspecies, but some specimens are aberrant, especially in pubes- cence. Very few specimens possess mature pods and without these there must remain doubt as to their precise identity. Stizolobium pruritum maculatum n. subsp. Very similar to S. pruritum officinale but pods larger, 8 to 9 cm. long; young pubescence on the pod at first whitish, later turning pinkish and finally tawny, all of the hairs changing color simultaneously; seeds larger, distinctly compressed, gray, very densely speckled with black and having few or no black marblings. The type specimen is in the Economic Herbarium of the Bureau of Plant Industry, grown at Gainesville, Florida, in 1912, from S. P. I. No. 25,725 secured from the State Gardens, Baroda, India, presented by B. F. Cavanaugh, Esq. 60 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. STIZOLOBIUM PRURITUM BIFLORUM n. comb. Mucuna pruriens biflorum Trimen, Handbook Flora Ceylon 63: 1894. Seeds black, shiny. Trimen's original specimen from Batticaloa, Ceylon, is preserved in tbe herbarium at Perideniya and from it the following notes were taken. " Leaflets very silky beneath, 3-4 cm. long. Pods falcate, 5 cm. long, with a single stont rib extending from the tip nearly to the base, the whole pod covered with red erect stinging hairs. Seeds 5, black, shiny." The specimen is from a rather weak plant as indicated by the small leaflets and the 2-flowered clusters, a common phenomenon on weak plants in the related species. Identical with Trimen's plant are S. P. I. Nos. 26,183 and 29,907, both received through Maj. A. T. Gage, Royal Botanical Garden, Sibpur, Cal- cutta, India, and No. 24,935 from C. Drieberg, Esq., Secretary, Ceylon Agricultural Society, Colombo. Herbarium material of the same thing has been examined at the Royal Botanic Garden, Calcutta, as follows: Perak, Straits Settlements, L. Wray, February, 1889, No. 3326. "Kum- bang Kota." Palkate 2000 Lohardryga, C. B. Clarke, October 30, 1883. (This prob- ably means between Palketand Lohardaga, Bengal.) Sti/.olobium microspermum n. sp. (§ Brachyule). Stems twining to a height of 2-3 meters, annual, slender, terete, striate angled, retrorsely pubescent; leaves trifoliolate, the petiole pubescent like the stems, 6-10 cm. long; petiolules fleshy, pubescent, about 6 mm. long; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, the lateral oblique, acute, 4 to 10 cm. long, about equalling the petioles, the pubescence fine, appressed, denser and silky beneath; pods 5-seeded, 7 cm. long, with 2 complete or nearly complete longitudinal ridges, and constricted between the seeds; hairs rusty red, closely appressed, rather dense with silky sheen; internal par- titions nearly complete; seed black or nearly so, oval, much flattened, 9 mm. long, 6 mm. wide, the hilum 6 mm. long, surrounded by a very small paler caruncle. From the botanical garden at Buitenzorg, Java, S. P. I. Nos. 32,112 and 24,423, cultivated at Biloxi, Miss., Miami, Fla., and in the green- house at Washington, D. C. The type is a specimen of 32,112 grown at Miami, Fla., in 1914, and preserved in the Economic Herbarium of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Very closely related to S. pruriens but with much smaller pods and seeds. Stizolobium venulosum n. sp. Stems herbaceous, finely canescent; leaves trifoliolate; leaflets 5-8 cm. long, firm, ciliate, rather obtuse, cuspidate, nearly glabrous above, strongly reticulated and finely hirsutulous beneath, the veins prominent, Pipei — Tlie Cowhage and Related Species. 61 the central leaflet obovate, broadest above the middle, truncate or slightly rounded at base, the lateral ones obliquely ovate; inflorescence dense, about 20-flowered, the peduncle pubescent with dense erect hairs; calyx similarly pubescent and with numerous stinging hairs, the lobes acutish, about as long as the tube; corolla purple, 2.5 cm. long, the keel much exceeding the wings; extra-floral nectaries at base of pedicels oblong. Taung-gyi, South Shan States, Burma, 5500 ft. alt., April 17, 1910, Capt. R. W. MacGregor, No. 1144, in Herb. Calcutta Bot. Garden (Type). Szemao Mts., Yunnan, China, No. 12.749A, Dr. Henry in 1899. The last has young pods 5 cm. long, densely covered with seal-brown stinging hairs. The form of the extra-floral nectaries as well as the long keel suggests that this species is a close ally of Stizolobium bracteatum (Roxb. ) Kuntze, but it apparently lacks the broad bracts of that species. The species probably belongs to § Brachyule as does S. bracteatum. Stizolobium forbesii n. sp. (§ Brachyule). Stems herbaceous, terete, longitudinally striate-angled, appressed- puberulent; leaflets broadly ovate, rather obtuse, cuspidate, thin, mem- branous, sparsely appressed, puberulent on each side, especially beneath, about 15 cm. long; petioles puberulent as long as the leaflets; petiolules very pubescent, 5 mm. long; peduncles terete, densely puberulent; racemes dense, 15 to 40 flowered ; calyx campanulate, densely sericeous without and within, 15 mm. long, and bearing a few red stinging hairs; calyx-lobes triangular, acute, longer than the tube, the ventral longest; corolla " albi-virescenti " ; wings 6-7 cm. long, pubescent on the lower margin near the base ; keel a little exceeding the wings, abruptly curved at tip ; standard much shorter than the wings; pods 16 cm. long, 3 cm. broad, linear, compressed, nearly straight, the subacute tip slightly curved, the thickish valves bearing 3 or 4 coarse longitudinal ribs, 2 sub- marginal and 2 intermediate, the dorsal one wholly or partly obsolete, the other three complete, the whole pod densely covered with chestnut- red short erect hairs much like velvet; constrictions between the 6 or 7 seeds very slight; seeds smooth, chestnut-colored, shiny, much flattened, 12 to 17 mm. long, 8 to 9 mm. broad, the hilum black, linear, 7 mm. long and surrounded by a low black caruncle. Timor Laut, Forbes, No. 3320B, November, 1883 (type in Herb. Kew). Malay Archipelago, Reidel, coram, by Dr. A. B. Meyer, 1883. (Herb. Kew). Larat Island, Dr. M. Treub, in 1893 (Herb. Buitenzorg). Java, Kediri, S. H. Koorders, No. 23.040B, June 16, 1896 (Herb. Buitenzorg). Kei Island, Dr. M. Treub, cultivated at Buitenzorg ( Herb. Buitenzorg). An interesting species wrhose nearest relative is Stizolobium poggei (Taubert) Hiern from Africa. 62 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. STIZOLOBIUM HIRSUTUM (Wight & Arnott) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 203. 1891. Mucuna hirsuta Wight & Arnott Prodr. Fl. Ind. Or. p. 254. 1834. The original description is as follows: " M. hirsuta ( W. & A.) branches, petioles, racemes and under side of the leaflets hirsutely tomentose; leaflets ovate, upper side hirsutely pubes- cent; racemes drooping, long peduncled; floriferous part somewhat long; pedicels as short as the calyx ; calyx-segments broadly lanceolate, acumi- nated, the length of the tube; legume linear, curved, very densely covered with rigid stinging hairs, not sulcated on the sutures; valves without plaits; hilum linear. " Wight Cat. n. 750." Specimens of Wight's No. 750 are in the herbaria at Calcutta and at Kew but no exact data as to locality are given. Two other specimens at Kew are labeled "E. India, Walker," and " Nilgherries, Gardner in 1847." In the Calcutta herbarium is a recent specimen collected by C. E. C. Fischer, No. 1651, January 23, 1910, at Karimalia, South Mala- bar, altitude 5000 ft. The species is easily distinguishable by the thickish leaflets densely covered on each side with a silvery pubescence that becomes rusty in age. The calyx is similarly pubescent. Xo mature pods or seeds have been seen. Apparently the species is rare and restricted to the mountains of southern India. In the light of the data disclosed by these studies the plants described by pre-Linnaean authors may with considerable confidence be identified as follows : S. pruriens Rumphius Herb. Amb. 5:393, tab. 142. 1747. This description is the first cited basis for Dolichos pruriens L. and therefore the species must rest upon the correct indentification of the Amboina plant. S. pruritum biflorum Parkinson Theatr. Bot. 2:1056. 1640. Rheede Hort. Malab. 8:61. tab. 36. 1688. under the name Nai-Corana. Hermann Mus. Zeyl. 67. 1717. under the name Adsarijapala. S. pruritum officinale Morrison Plant. Hist. Univ. Oxon. 2:69. 1680. Ray Hist. Plant. 1:887. 1686. Hermann Par. Bat. Prod. 364. 1689. Plukenet Phytographia tab. CCXIV. fig. 1. 1691. Also all other references to the American plant. In the compilations of other pre-Linnaean botanists all of the above were referred to a single species, and this is also the case in the writings of many modern botanists. Vol. 30, pp. 63-70 March 31, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON FOUR NEW ECHINODERMS FROM THE WEST INDIES. BY AUSTIN H. CLARK. Despite the fact that the West Indian region has been the scene of more intensive study than any other portion of the tropical seas, hitherto unknown animal types are continually being discovered there. Since the inception of the investigation of the Caribbean abysses a dozen able and energetic zoologists have contributed to the increase and systematization of our knowledge of the echinoderm fauna, and yet new, and often remarkable, types still turn up with surprising frequency. Of the four echinoderms described in the following pages the two crinoids and the starfish were collected by the "Albatross; ' ' the ophiuran was collected by Mr. John B. Henderson during the course of his memorable cruise on the " Tomas Barrera." I. CRINOIDS. Neocomatella ornata new species. The centrodorsal is discoidal, with a broad flat finely pitted polar area 4 mm. in diameter. The cirri are xix, 19-21, about 20 mm. long; tbe first segment is very short, the second somewhat longer, the third about as long as broad, the fourth and fifth the longest, about twice as long as broad, the fifth slightly longer than the fourth; the fifth is a transition segment, proximally dull like the preceding, but highly polished in its distal fourth ; the sixth is about as long as the fourth, and the following gradually decrease in length, becoming about as long as broad on the eighth or ninth, and beyond slightly broader than long; the transition and following segments have the distal dorsal edge prominent; after the seventh the dorsal side rises evenly from the base to the tip so that the segments are trapezoidal in shape, and in lateral view the cirrus has a serrate appearance; after the eleventh the proximal half of the dorsal side becomes rather less pro- duced, but the distal half rather more so, so that in lateral view there 15— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30. 1917. (63) 64 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. appears to be a low broadly rounded dorsal spine on each segment which arises from somewhat more than the distal half of the dorsal surface of the segments. In the more compressed distal segments the produced distal dorsal edge, at first crescentic in end view, becomes narrower, but does not lose in height, so that it changes to rounded triangular and, as less of the dorsal surface is involved, appears tubercular; a faint median carination is traceable on the distal half of the later segments ; the oppos- ing spine is very low, median in position, involving the entire surface of the penultimate segment; the terminal claw is slightly longer than the penultimate segment, rather slender, and moderately curved. The ends of the basal rays are just visible in the angles of the calyx; the radials are only slightly visible in the angles of the calyx over the ends of the basal rays ; the I Br: are exceedingly short and band-like, in lateral apposition for rather more than their basal half but separated by a U-shaped gap anteriorly; theIBr2 are broadly pentagonal, the lateral edges about as long as those of the I Br1; approximately twice as broad as long; the II Br are 2; the I Br axillary and the elements of the II Br series are rounded dorsally and laterally, and entirely free laterally; the synarthrial tubercles are broad and low, though rather noticeable. There are nineteen arms in the type, about 120 mm. long; the first two brachials are equal and similar in shape, slightly wedge-shaped, the longer side out, about twice as broad as the exterior length; the first brachial, like the II Brj , is interiorly united for nearly its entire length ; the second, like the II Br2, is usually interiorly in apposition with its neigh- bor, though not united to it; the first syzygial pair (formed of the third and fourth brachials) is about as long as broad; the fifth and sixth brachials are oblong, about twice as broad as long, the following brachials become very oblique, and after the eighth or ninth triangular, about as long as broad, later becoming wedge-shaped, and somewhat less oblique distally ; the terminal portion of the arms is not preserved. The ossicles of the I Br and II Br series and the first two brachials have the dorsal surface thickly covered with small shallow pits; the distal edge of the second brachial is everted and somewhat prominent, tending to form a rounded distal dorsal prominence which is thickly beset with small spines; this condition rapidly increases distally, the brachials after the eighth having strongly produced distal ends which are armed with a frill of rather coarse spines, these produced distal ends standing out nearly perpendicularly to the axis of the arm ; with the gradual narrow- ing of the arm distally this eversion of the distal ends of the brachials gradually narrows, but does not decrease in height, so that on the later brachials it appears as a laterally oblong distal tubercle with the summit thickly studded with small spines standing vertically outward and reach- ing rather more than half the lateral diameter of the brachials in height. In lateral view these tubercles appear as rounded distal spines, the gen- eral effect being the same as in the more carinate varieties of Tropio- metra picta. Syzygies occur between the first and second brachials, again always between the third and fourth ; the next syzygy is almost always between Clark — Four Neiv Echhi oder ms from the West Indies. 65 the seventeenth and eighteenth (hut varying from between the thirteenth and fourteenth to between the eighteenth and nineteenth); the distal intersyzygial interval appears to be from six to eight oblique muscular articulations. The syzygies are exceedingly difficult to detect as the perisome covering the dorsal surface of the segments is somewhat swollen and opaque, thus masking the structure underneath. Pj is about 15 mm. long, much stouter basally than the succeeding but tapering with moderate rapidity and slender and flagellate in its distal two-thirds, composed of about forty segments, at first about twice as broad as long, more or less rhombic with the corners cut away, be- coming about as long as broad and squarish after the tenth ; the termi- nal comb is long, rising gradually, with twenty-five teeth, which at first are low, after the fifth becoming blunt-triangular, higher than broad basally (about as high as the lateral diameter of the segment bearing them), with the apex leaning somewhat distally ; in the outer part of the pinnule the shape changes somewhat, the last nine being much more rounded distally, erect, and slightly shorter; the teeth are slightly re- curved; P2 is 8 mm. long, much more slender than P2 basally and with fewer segments, but otherwise similar to it, and with a similar comb; the following pinnules gradually decrease in length to P6, which is 6 mm. long with a rather small comb; P6 is rather stouter than P5, which re- sembles the preceding, and P7 and the following pinnules are stouter still, though slender in the distal half; this stoutness persists in the following pinnules, though in the distal pinnules it is less in extent, occupying only about one-third of their length; the genital pinnules are about 6 mm. or 7 mm. long, stout basally but evenly tapering and be- coming slender in the distal half, with sixteen segments of which the first three are twice as broad as long, the fourth is somewhat smaller and proportionately slightly longer, the fifth or sixth is squarish, those after the ninth longer than broad, and the distal more than twice as long as broad; the distal pinnules are 10 mm. long, the proximal segments much broader than long, large, the following becoming gradually narrower and proportionately shorter, squarish after the fifth or sixth, and slender and rather more than twice as long as broad distally. The surface of the pinnule segments is rough, and the ends are always more or less spinous; the distal dorsal surface of the segments is usually studded with small spines, but is never produced nor carinate. The color in alcohol is white. Type— Cut. No. 34,482 U. S. N. M., from "Albatross" Station 2321, off Havana, Cuba, in 230 fathoms. Nemaster insolitus new species. The centrodorsal is discoidal, broad, rather thin, the flat polar area from 3 mm. to 4 mm. in diameter, sometimes with a slight shallow median pit; the cirrus sockets are closely crowded, arranged in one and a more or less complete second alternating rows. The cirri are xv-xxi, 10-12, 10 mm. to 12 mm. long; the first segment 66 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. is very short, the second squarish or slightly longer than broad, the third from half again to nearly twice as long as its proximal diameter, the fourth the longest, twice as long as its proximal diameter or somewhat longer; the fifth is as long as the third, and the following gradually decrease in length to the antepenultimate, which is about as long as broad ; the penultimate segment is somewhat longer ventrally than dorsally, one-third to one-half again as broad as its ventral length; the opposing spine is small, erect, arising from the whole dorsal surface of the penultimate segment, the apex slightly beyond the center of the latter; the terminal claw is long and slender, about three-quarters of the length of the penultimate and antepenultimate segments together, moderately curved; the second and following segments as far as the terminal three or four are very strongly constricted centrally as viewed dorsally, with much expanded articula- tions; but this character is only slightly marked in lateral view, being due to the lateral expansion of the articulations over the ends of the articu- lating ridges as a center; most of the segments are smooth dorsally, but the antepenultimate always, the preceding often, and the one preceding that sometimes, has a small subterminal tubercle or small spine which, though often but slightly marked, is always present; its position on the antepenultimate segment is but little in advance of the center, on the preceding more distal, and on the third from the last it is situated near the distal border. The ends of the basal rays are visible as small tubercles in the angles of the calyx; the radials are concealed in the median line, showing slightly in the angles of the calyx; the IBrx are oblong, with the proxi- mal border often convex, about two and one-half times as broad as the median length, rounded laterally and entirely separated, even at the base; the I Br 2 (axilaries) are almost triangular, between one and one- half times and twice as broad as long, the anterior angle sharp, though not produced, the lateral sides short, forming an obtuse angle with those of the IBrj, or parallel in the proximal half but diverging in the distal; II Br 4 (3 + 4); division series comparatively slender and widely sepa- rated; first ossicles following each axillary united interiorly for about the proximal two-thirds, those following the I Br axillary then diverging at an acute angle, those after the II Br axillary remaining in apposition in the distal third, though not united. Sixteen to twenty very slender arms about 150 mm. long; the first brachial is wedge-shaped, about twice as broad as the exterior length; the second is similar in shape and size; on arms springing from a II Br axillary the first brachial is much larger, being not greatly broader than the exterior length ; first syzygial pair (on arms arising from the II Br axillaries composed of the second and third brachials, on those arising from the I Br axillaries of the third and fourth) oblong, about half again as broad as long, or slightly broader; following three brachials (follow- ing one or two on arms springing from a II Br axillary) oblong, about twice as broad as long, then becoming very obliquely wedge-shaped, about as long as broad, in the distal part of the arm less obliquely wedge- shaped, almost oblong, about as long as broad, and in the attenuated Clark — Four New Echinoderms from the West Indies. 67 terminal portion longer than broad; after the first two or three the brachials develop overlapping and finely spinous distal edges which be- come prominent after the sixth or eighth, though their development is never very great; they are plainly evident even in the attenuated termi- nal portion of the arm. Syzygies occur between the third and fourth brachials (the second and third in arms arising from a II Br axillary), again between the sixth and seventh to ninth and tenth, and subsequently at intervals of four oblique muscular articulations. The mouth and anal tube are about equidistant from the center of the disk ; the mouth is radial ; the disk is entirely covered with a pavement of very small plates, with a few larger ones which rise above the general surface scattered about the interpal mar areas; in the lateral interbrachial regions of the disk the mass of small plates tends to divide into two col- umns of large plates based upon a single plate in the interradial angle. PD is 12 mm. long, stout basally but tapering rather rapidly and slender and flagellate in the distal two-thirds, with nearly forty segments of which the first is about twice as broad as long, the second is nearly as long as broad, the third is of about the same proportions, and the following gradually increase in length, becoming about as long as broad after the seventh and slightly longer than broad in the terminal portion ; the seg- ments in the proximal third have very prominently everted and spinous distal ends; the comb consists of thirteen teeth, the terminal two or three more or less obsolete ; the teeth are slightly longer than broad basally, about as long as the lateral diameter of the segment which bears them, rounded, well separated, and beset with small marginal spines; except for the first two or three all the teeth are double, the segments bearing another similar, but smaller, tooth on the opposide side; Px 7 mm. long, much more slender than PD though similar to it, and with a similar comb; P3 is small, slender and weak, 3 mm. long with about fifteen segments, bearing a more or less imperfect comb distally; P4 and the following pinnules resemble P3, but are without combs ; on arms arising directly from a I Br axillary Pa resembles PD as described, P2 resembles Plt etc.; the distal pinnules are 9 mm. long, very slender, with about twenty segments of which the first is short, the second half again as long as broad, the following rapidly becoming elongate, and about three times as long as broad ; the segments all have very strongly overlapping and spinous distal ends, as do the segments of all the pinnules except in the distal portion of the first one or two. Color in alcohol white, yellowish white, or violet, the cirri and pinnules dark purple with the ends of the segments white, in sharp contrast. Type.— Cat. No. 25,458 U. S. N. M., from "Albatross" Station 2146, Caribbean Sea, in 34 fathoms. II. STARFISH. Plinthaster productus new species. Five arms; R=27 mm. ; r=12 mm. ; R:r=2.25:l; superomarginals 10 or 11, of which the distal 8 are united interiorly to form the ray. General form pentagonal, with slightly incurved sides, the angles of the 68 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. pentagon produced into rather long slender arms, which are as long as the distance from their bases to the center of the disk. The abactinal surface is covered with more or less regular hexagonal plates which are largest in the central portion, within a circle the periphery of which is indicated by the madreporite. From the apical plate a regu- lar row of rune plates, all approximately equal in size and smaller than the plates in the center of the abactinal region, runs to the arm bases, where it terminates against two or three large, irregular, wedge-shaped plates. In the outer two-thirds of the abactinal area this radial row is bordered with a similar row on either side. In the interradial triangles the plates decrease regularly in size from the center to the margin, re- maining hexagonal as far as the row adjoining the superomarginals, in which the plates are very irregular in shape and in size. The plates of the abactinal surface are naked, except for a peripheral row of flattened granules, which on the four or five central plates in the radial rows is supplemented by a second similar row of higher granules just within it; the most proximal of these plates bearing the second row of granules usually has it developed only along the distal margin, while the plates of the two rows adjoining the median row have the second row developed on the adradial side. A few plates, especially in the central region, have from one to three widely scattered granules on their surface. The madreporite is prominent, rounded triangular, with a very convex and irregular surface. The superomarginals are similar and of equal size as far as the arm bases, thence decreasing rather rapidly to the arm tips. They are some- what tumid, especially those of the arms, and are naked except for a bordering series of closely packed flattened granules, which disappears on the outer half of the arm. Those in the interbrachial arc may bear scattered granules on the surface, and may have in addition one or two extra rows along the lower border and extending for a short distance along the sides. The inferomarginals are everywhere much lower than the supero- marginals, though reaching the same vertical plane ; in the interbrachial arc they correspond to the superomarginals, but on the arms they do not decrease so rapidly in length, and so come to overlap the bases of the next succeeding superomarginals. On the actinal surface the decrease in size of the inferomarginals at the arm bases is much more abrupt than in the case of the superomarginals, and along the arms the former are much narrower, being twice as long as broad, whereas the superomarginals are always broader than long. The inferomarginals are bordered with a row of flattened granules like the superomarginals, while those of the interbrachial arc have an addi- tional row actinally extending part way up the sides, and just beneath the upper margin numerous closely packed granules which extend down- ward along the sides. The actinal intermediate plates do not extend beyond the third infero- marginal; that is, they are entirely confined to the triangle between the adambulacrals and the inferomarginals of the interbrachial arc. They Clark — Fotir New Echinoderms from the West Indies. 69 are arranged in three rows parallel to the adambulacrals, with two or three additional next to the median inferomarginals. The innermost row (next to the adambulacrals) consists of about nine (corresponding to fourteen adambulacrals), the next of four or five, and the third of three, within which are two or three against the central inferomarginals. The actinal intermediate plates are covered with rather large spaced granules, consisting of a border series and from nine to fifteen central, according to the size of the plate. The adambulacral plates are twice as broad as long, with a straight furrow margin. They carry four or five untapered furrow spines which are in length about equal to half the width of the plate, and are sub- equal, very regular, arranged in a straight row. Beyond these is a naked space, followed by a row of two or three rather stout, more or less coni- cal, spines, usually more or less diagonal in position with the distal nearest the furrow series. Beyond these again are from four to six well spaced granular spines in two rows, resembling the granules on the acti- nal intermediate plates, but slightly larger and more spaced ; on the distal adambulacrals these become more numerous, smaller, and less spaced. The mouth plates are triangular, very inconspicuous ; the furrow mar- gin is longer than the edge adjacent to the first adambulacral. The armature consists of three well spaced stout spines, followed by four much more slender crowded spines, similar to those of the furrow series on the adambulacrals; within these are three or four stout well spaced spines continuing the second series on the adambulacrals; within these again are five or six spaced granules, continuous with the granules on the adjacent actinal intermediate plates. The color in alcohol is white. Type.— Cat. No. 36,930 U. S. N. M., from "Albatross" Station 2154, off Havana, Cuba, in 310 fathoms. III. BRITTLE STAR. Ophiocnida cubana new species. Disk 4.3 mm. in diameter, slightly convex as in 0. filogranea, covered with prominent, slightly tumid, imbricating scales, among which the circular primary plates, which are of nearly equal size and are separated by spaces equal to their diameter or somewhat greater ( up to about a diameter and a half), stand out rather prominently. In general the arrangement of the scales on the disk, and the form, size, proportions, and amount and character of the partial separation of the radial shields, agree with the same features in 0. filogranea. Scattered evenly over the surface of the disk there are approximately seventy-five smooth cylindrical spines which in length are equal to about two-thirds of the diameter of the circular primary plates. Along the periphery of the disk, beginning in a line between the outer angles of the subtriangular radial shields, are very numerous and thickly set spines, somewhat shorter than the spines on the dorsal surface, which 70 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. are continued over the edges of the disk, on the lower side in each inter- brachial arc covering a triangular restricted area, just as do the very much shorter and much more numerous and thickly set spines in 0. filogranea. The broad spineless areas bordering the genital slits are covered with large and prominent imbricated scales as in 0. filogranea. The arms are approximately 33 mm. long; the upper arm plates are about twice as broad as long, more or less fan-shaped, with broadly rounded outer angles. The under arm plates resemble those of 0. filo- granea, but are proportionately slightly longer. The three arm spines are rather stout basally, but taper rapidly to a point; they are similar and equal in length, being roughly as long as, or slightly longer than, the lateral diameter of the lower arm plates. On the basal portion of the arms there are two tentacle scales of which the inner is much larger than the outer; further out on the arm the smaller gradually decreases in size and finally disappears. On some arms the smaller may be more or less completely absent even from the arm bases. The arrangement of the plates about the mouth does not differ from that found in 0. filogranea, except that the plates are somewhat more swollen, the oral shields are more regularly rhombic, and the distal mouth papilla? are proportionately smaller, being not greatly larger than the proximal, and inwardly more separated. The structure of the jaws resembles closely that in some specimens of 0. loveni at hand from Rio de Janeiro,- but the mouth papillse are more rounded and less pointed, and the distal are more separated interiorly. Type.— Cat. No. 34,763, U. S. N. M., from Ensenada de Santa Rosa, western Cuba, in 1-3 fathoms. Vol. 30, pp. 71-74 March 31, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTIONS OF FIVE NEW SPECIES OF CRUSTACEANS FROM THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA. BY W. P. HAY. Published by permission of the U. S. Fish Commissioner. For some time past the writer has been engaged in the prepa- ration of a report on the decapod crustaceans of Beaufort, N. C, and the surrounding territory, and in the course of the work several new species of these animals have come to light. As publication of the complete report will be considerably delayed, it seems desirable to publish the following brief descriptions of the most important of the new forms. The types have been deposited in the U. S. National Museum and full descriptions and figures will be included in the report. Coralliocaris wilsoni sp. nov. Holotype, d\ Cat. No. 47,957 U. S. N. M., U. S. Bur. Fisheries S. S. Fish Hawk, about 20 miles off Beaufort, N. C, in 10 to 20 fathoms, August 1, 1914. Paratypes, 2 $s, Cat. No. 47,961 U. S. N. M. Rostrum about one-third as long as carapace, slightly decurved and armed above with 11 to 13 acute, nearly equidistant teeth. Antennal scale broad, equal to the rostrum in length. First pair of legs alike, slender, chelate, the tips of the fingers hairy. Second pair of legs very unequal, the larger one, in the male, having the chela so enlarged that its bulk is almost equal to the rest of the animal; hand cylindrical, mov- able finger strongly curved and bent inwards, its cutting edge with a prominent lobe near the base; thumb bent downward out of line with the hand, its cutting edge with two teeth. Smaller chela about one-third the size of its mate, somewhat compressed but otherwise similarly con - structed. Three specimens were collected in 1914 from the canals of a large sponge dredged up by the steamer Fish Hawk and a series of 8 or 10 was obtained 16— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 30. 1917. (71) 72 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. in the same way in 1915. The species is dedicated to Dr. H. V. Wilson of the University of North Carolina, for many years an investigator at the Beaufort laboratory. Gnathophyllum modestum sp. nov. Holotype, $ , Cat. No. 49,650 U. S. Nat. Mus., U. S. Bur. Fisheries S. S. Fish Hawk, about 20 miles S. W. of Beaufort, N. C, in about 15 fathoms, August, 1915. Rostrum reaching to distal end of basal article of antennule, obliquely truncate and armed above with seven teeth ; suborbital spine acute. Telson with the marginal spines at about the distal third, the tip almost truncate and with six spines of which the median and longest pair is about one-fifth as long as the telson. Color dark reddish brown, telson and tail fins white, legs and flagella of antennae and antennules with purple bands. Only a single specimen, the type, has been obtained. It is probably most closely related to G. panamense Faxon, which it resembles in the length and armature of the rostrum and in the coloration. From G. americanum Rathbun, it differs in coloration and in the much weaker second pair of legs. From both it differs also in the position and size of the lateral and terminal spines of the telson. Automate kingsleyi sp. nov. Holotype, 9, Cat. No. 49,637 U. S. Nat. Mus., Beaufort, N. C, col- lected by O. W. Hyman, July 9, 1916. Cephalothorax about one-half as long as abdomen, subcylindrical and deeply sinuate in front; rostrum small; eyestalks contiguous, broad at base and with a well developed corneal surface. Scale of antennule slightly exceeding the basal article of the peduncle. Scale of antenna extending to the middle of the terminal article of the peduncle. Third maxillipeds exceeding the antennal peduncles by less than the length of their terminal articles. Chelipeds unequal and somewhat dis- similar; the larger one, which is stouter and rougher than its mate, has the fingers slightly gaping at the base, the thumb in line with the palm and very broad at the base while the movable finger is much narrower and rather strongly curved. Carpus short. Merus about as long as movable finger of chela. Second pair of legs very slender and with the carpus divided into 5 articles having the proportions of 1, 1£, |, f, f. Telson armed above on each side with two spines one of which is at about the middle of the length and the other is about half way between the middle and the distal end. Length of type, 16 mm. ; cephalothorax, 4 mm. Only one specimen has been examined. The most remarkable charac- ter noted is that the hands in this female specimen are as large and broad as are those of the male of any other known species. The species is dedicated to Dr. J. S. Kingsley, one of the early students of the crusta- ceans of the Beaufort region. Hay — New Species of Crustaceans from North Carolina. 73 Pagurus cokeri sp. nov. Holotype and paratype, Cat. No. 49,638 U. S. Nat. Mus., U. S. Bur. Fisheries S. S. Fish Hawk, 30 miles S. of Cape Lookout lightship, August, 1915. Anterior portion of carapace as long as broad, its anterior margin with three projections of which the middle one is decidedly more advanced and is terminated by a spine about twice as long as the spines of the lateral ones. Eyestalks short and stout, their length equal to about twice the diameter of the cornea, scale small and with a spinulose tip. Antennal peduncle a little shorter than that of the antennule, its basal article with a small lateral spine curved downward and forward, its second article with a spine on the inner distal angle and several spinnules on the inner side of the outer distal prolongation ; acicle curved ; flagellum longer than body. Smaller hand with the movable finger about four times as long as the palm and, when closed, meeting the immovable finger for only a short distance near the tip. Two specimens have been obtained. It is most closely related to E. bouvieri Fax. from which it differs chiefly in the character of the smaller hand. It is named in honor of Dr. R. E. Coker, of the Bureau of Fisheries, who has contributed extensively to our knowledge of the Beaufort fauna. Paguristes armatus sp. nov. Holotype, Cat. No. 49,699 U. S. Nat. Mus., U. S. Bur. Fisheries S. S. Fish Hawk, about 30 miles S. of Cape Lookout lightship. Anterior portion of carapace considerably longer than wide, its front margin thickened ; rostrum acute, straight-sided and considerably ex- ceeding the rather obtuse lateral projections. Eyestalks longer than the greatest width but not quite equal to the length of the anterior portion of the carapace, nearly straight and not much enlarged distally. Cheli- peds approximately alike in size and form, short and thick; merus with a few spines distally ; carpus and hand covered with strong, sharp-pointed, conical tubercles, of which those on the upper margin of the movable finger, palm and carpus are longer than the others. One specimen only was secured. The species is rather closely related to P. spinipes A. Milne Edwards, but differs in having much shorter eyestalks and differently formed hands. Vol. 30, pp. 75-76 March 31, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON MUTANDA ORNITHOLOGICA. I. BY HARRY C. OBERHOLSER. During the past several years the writer has incidentally noted a number of necessary changes in the current scientific names of birds. It seems desirable to throw these into the ornithological current, where they may be picked up by any workers who may have occasion to use them. It is therefore the present purpose to publish these in a series of articles under the above caption from time to time as opportunity permits. Family Anatidae. Nettion torquatum (Yieillot). This duck was originally described from Paraguay as Anas torquata by Yieillot,* but this name is preoccupied by Anas torquata Gmelin,t a synonym of Branta rnficollis Pallas. Another name is therefore required for the species, and is found in Anas leucophrys Yieillot * ; and Nettion torquatum should henceforth be known as Nettion leucophrys (Yieillot). Chloephaga magellanica (Gmelin). The specific term magellanica, § by which this bird has commonly been known, is rendered untenable by Anas magellanica Sparrman,|| which refers clearly to Chloephaga hybrida (Molina). The proper name for Chloephaga magellanica of authors becomes, therefore, Chloephaga leu- coptera (Gmelin). IT Family Falconidae. Cerchneis gracilis (Lesson). The species at present known as Cerchneis gracilis (Lesson) of the Seychelles, is in need of a new name, since it was originally Falco * Anas torquata Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., V, 1816, p. 110. t Reise Russl.. II, 1774, p. 179. 1. 14. t Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., V, 1816, p. 156. § Anas magellanica Gmelin, Syst. Nat., I, ii, 1789, p. 505 (Straits of Magellan). II Anas magellanica Sparrman, Mus. Carlson., fasc. 11,1787, t. 37 (Straits of Magellan). H Anas leucoptera Gmelin, Syst. Nat., I, ii, 1789, p. 505 (Falkland Islands). 17— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (75) 76 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. gracilis * a term preoccupied by Falco gracilis Temminck.t which is a .synonym of Geranospizias caerulescens (Vieillot). It may, therefore, be called Cerchneis araea, nora, nov. Cerchneis alopex deserticola Reichenow. The name Cerchneis alopex deserticola, proposed by Dr. Reichenow i for a west African hawk, is preoccupied by Falco sparverius deserticolus Mearns,§ now conceded to be the same as Cerchneis sparveria phalaena (Lesson). The African bird therefore requires a new title, and may stand as Cerchneis alopex eremica, nora. nov. Family Rallidae. Rallus intermedius Milue-Edwards. The fossil rail called Rallus intermedius by Milne Edwards || needs a new name, for its present one is invalidated by Rallus intermedius Her- mann,? which is now a synonym of Porzana pusilla (Pallas). The fossil species (Rallus intermedius Milue-Edwards) may therefore be known as Rallus adelus Oberholser, nora. nov. * Traitfi d'Ornith., 1831 (May, 1830), p. 93 (loc. ign.). tNouv.Rec. Planch. Color. d'Ois., I, livr. 16, Nov. ,1821, pi. 91 and text (Eastern Brazil). t Ornith. Monatsber., VII, No. 12, December, 1899, p. 1 90 (Mangu, hinterland of Togo, western Africa). § Auk, IX, No. 3, July, 1892, p. 263 (Fort Verde, Arizona). II Oiseaux Foss. de la France, II, 1869-1S71, p. 144 (vicinity of Paris, France). t Obs. Zool., 1, 1804, p. 19S (Argentor River, France). Vol. 30, pp. 77-78 March 31, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A NEW APHIS-FEEDING APHELINUS. BY L. O. HOWARD. Until last summer only four species of Aphelinus have been reared from plant-lice by the men in the Bureau of Entomology in 35 years. It is therefore interesting to add a fifth species. Aphelinus lapisligni n. sp. Female. — Length, 1.05 mm.; expanse, 2.19 mm.; greatest width of l'orewing, 0.57 mm. A medium sized black species. Eyes faintly hairy, but with well bristled margins. Antennae rather short, stout, of the A. nigritus rather than the A. semiflavus type. Third funicle joint \% times longer than broad ; club 2% times longer than broad. Base of forewing singularly free from bristles ; aside from the more or less irregular row proximally bordering the oblique hairless streak, there are seen but six or seven of these bristles in the distal angle between the marginal vein and the hairless streak. Body uniformly glistening black ; wings infus- cated below marginal vein ; forelegs with basal two-thirds of femora black ; apical third whitish yellow ; tibiae whitish yellow ; tarsi dusky towards tip ; middle femora and tibiae black, light at tips, trochanters yellowish, femora enlarged; hind legs same. Antennae yellowish white, club darker towards tip. Type, U. S. N. M., 21,126. Numerous specimens reared from Aphis bakeri Cowen, Forest Grove, Oregon, August 25 to September 15, 1916, by Mr. L. P. Rockwood, of the Bureau of Entomology, after whom the species is named. 18— Peoc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (77) May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON Vol. 30, pp. 79-82 DESCRIPTIONS OF FOSSIL INSECTS. BY T. D. A. COCKERELL. The insects described below are of special interest, since the first represents a family not before known fossil, the second a family new to American strata, and the third an additional species of a rare family represented previously in America by only two species, though in Europe by five. Hymenoptera. Trigonalys pervetus, new species. Probable length about 6 mm., but only part of thorax, wings and mid- dle and hind legs of one side, and abdomen (lacking apex), are preserved. Thorax, abdomen and middle and hind legs black, the middle tibiae with the basal half reddish ; wings dusky hyaline, nervures dark, stigma small ; marginal cell ordinary, pointed on costa ; three submarginal cells, first receiving first re- current nervure a moderate distance from its apex, third receiving second recurrent nervure beyond middle ; sec- ond submarginal cell subtriangular, third short; basal nervure falling short of transverse medial ; hind wing with discoidal cell contracted at base, so that the cubital and discoidal nervures roughly form a cross ; scutellum strongly bilobed, the lobes rounded; abdomen not hairy ; sur- face of wing delicately hairy ; middle and hind femora short, angulate beneath; tibige long and slender, each with two spurs; tarsi very long and slender, the hind tarsi about 3 mm. ; mid tarsi with first joint about as long as 2 to 4 together, the latter successively shorter, fifth joint nearly as long as second. Burmese Amber (Miocene), received from Mr. R. C. J. Swinhoe. 19— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (79) Sci*ftilum, Fig. 1. Trigonalys pervetus. 80 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. This is the first fossil species of Trigonalidse to be recorded ; the family consists to-day of a relatively small number of species widely scattered over the world. The present insect should perhaps constitute a distinct genus, on account of the venation of hind wings and very long tarsi, but the anterior wings agree fairly well with Trigonalya, and it appears per- missible to refer the species there. Until rather recently, the species of Trigonalidse have been placed in few genera, but W. A. Schulz, in revis- ing the group, has separated a much larger number. Protorthopter a . Palaeocarria, new genus (Pachytylopsidse). A genua of Protorthoptera, with elongated thorax in the manner of the Spanioderidse, but with the costal area large, the costa arched, the sub- costa ending on the margin, and giving off about six oblique branches, several of which are forked. The surface of the anterior wing is coarsely and very distinctly reticulated, and the cubitus is connected with the media by an oblique vein, exactly as in Pachytylopsis. The anterior wing is ornamented with a series of three large black patches. The hind wing, so far as visible, has almost exactly the venation of Palorthopteron melas. Type P. ornata. Palaeocarria ornata, new species. Head and thorax, anterior to the insertion of the wings, about 15 mm. long, but the details of structure obliterated. Anterior wings ample, Fig. 2. Palaeocarria ornata. Fig. 3. Palaeocarria ornata. probable length about 45 mm. , of which only 33 mm. is preserved ; mid- dle of first spot about 9 mm. from base of wing and 6 from costal margin ; middle of second spot about 8 mm. from middle of first, the apical side Cockerell — Descriptions of Fossil Insects. 81 of second spot distinctly emarginate ; third spot reniform, its middle about 10 mm. from middle of second. Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian), in a nodule at Mazon Creek, Illinois; discovered by Mr. J. C. Carr, after whom the genus is named, and sub- mitted for examination through the kindness of Mr. L. E. Daniels. This genus seems to be closely allied to Pachytylopsis DeBorre, from the West- phalian of Belgium ; so much so that it might be possible to interpret the genus in a broad sense to include Palaeocarria. The structure of the thorax in Pachytylopsis is unknown ; and there are differences in the venation which, taken with the difference in locality, indicate that the Belgian and American insects can hardly be congeneric. The beautiful photographic figure of Pachytylopsis published by Handlirsch in 1904 sug- gests that the wing was banded, though this appearance may possibly be due to inequalities in the rock. Palorthopteron melas Handlirsch, also from the Westphalian of Belgium, closely resembles the hind wing of Palaeocarria and Spaniodera. May it not be the hind wing of Pachyty- lopsis persenairei DeBorre? Qenentomum carri, new species. Wings about 48 mm. long and 12 broad ; differing from G. validum Scudder as follows : Anterior wing. Radius with a single branch from upper side, this very long, taking its origin about 5 mm. before end of subcosta, and running nearly parallel with radius ; combined radial sector and media with four oblique branches from lower side, the first (as in G. validum) very near the junction of the two veins ; last oblique branch of media before Fig. 4. Qenentomum carri. the junction more than twice as far from penultimate branch as from junction. Hind wing. Radial sector with a simple branch, beyond the last forked one. In a nodule from the Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) of Mazon Creek, 111. (J. C. Carr). Transmitted by Mr. L. E. Daniels. This very fine specimen shows only the wings, but they are very characteristic of the genus. The CEdischiida?, to which Genentomum belongs, are only known in America from Mazon Creek ; in Europe several genera have been found in the upper Carboniferous of France and Germany. Vol. 30, pp. 83-86 May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON A REVIEW OF THE GENUS PEDIOECETES IN COLORADO. BY F. C. LINCOLN. The doubtful status of the genus Pedioecetes in Colorado has caused much confusion in the minds of those engaged in a study of the birds of the State, all of whom, the present writer trusts, will welcome what appears to be an accurate classification and adjustment of this interesting group. A study of the literature permits but one conclusion as regards this genus, which is, that its status is decidedly chaotic, a con- dition dating from the publication of the first faunal lists on Colorado birds. A brief review of the treatment accorded Pedioecetes in the two most important of these works may be of assistance in comprehending this confusion and the reasons for its existence. The first important* paper on the birds of Colorado as a unit, appeared in 1897, under the authorship of the late Prof. Wells W. Cooke, t in which all Colorado Sharp-tailed Grouse are in- cluded under one form, campestris ; a note being added to the effect that ' ' It may be that the Sharp-tailed Grouse of Routt County are variety columbianus * * *." Despite this note, however, the first supplement to this work, published in 1898 + , refutes the suggestion, definitely assigning *A few local lists, etc., had appeared previous to Prof. Cooke's, but they are all compiled in his work, and no specific references are necessary here. + The Birds of Colorado. By W. W. Cooke. Bull. No. 37, Agricultural Experiment Station, Fort Collins, Colo., March, 1897. t Further Notes on the Birds of Colorado. By W. W. Cooke. Bull. No. 44, Agri. Exper. Sta., Fort Collins, Colo., March, 1898, 20— Proc. Biol. Sod. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. 183) 84 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. all Pedioecetes within the State to campestris, a conclusion also continued in the second supplement in 1900.* The third supplement to this work appeared in 1909, t with something like order reached, when both columbianus and campestris were admitted to a place in the list, but with an im- possible range attributed to the former and the theory advanced that campestris was then extinct in the State. Following this came Mr. Sclater's "History of the Birds of Colorado," published in 1912, X which more than ever confused the subject by again including all Colorado examples under campestris, and thus the matter has stood to the evident incon- venience of the taxonomist as well as the local student. That a thorough investigation would be necessary, was readily apparent, and this it has been the privilege of the writer to carry out, with results of more than ordinary interest, when considering the contradictory character of the literature re- ferred to. Decidedly the most important feature of the work has been the discovery of an apparently unrecognized race which may be described at this point, as it occupies a most vital position in unraveling the tangle. For this new subspecies, I propose the name: Pedioecetes phasianellus jamesi, sp. nov. JAMES'S SHARP-TAILED GROUSE. § Chars, subsp. — Similar in part to both Pedioecetes p. columbianus and P. p. campestris, but with relatively longer wings and tail, shorter tarsi, and with bill shorter, heavier and more acutely curved than in either. Description. — Type ; adult male; Colorado Museum of Natural History, No. 4951; three miles west of Castle Eock, Colo., February 15, 1916; collected by A. H. Burns. Coloration of upper parts, including rump and upper tail-coverts, simi- lar to columbianus, but lighter; pileum and occiput dusky, feathers more narrowly edged with light rufous, not banded, tipped with creamy white ; * The Birds of Colorado. By W. W. Cooke. Bull. No. 56, Agri. Exper. Sta.. Ft. Collins, Colo., May, 1900. A second appendix to Bull. No. 37. + The Birds of Colorado— Third Supplement. By Wells W. Cooke. Auk, Vol. XXVI, 1909, pp. 400-423. X A History of the Birds of Colorado. By W. L. Sclater. Witherby & Co., London. 1912. §It is with much pleasure that I propose to name this new subspecies in honor of Mr. Harry C. James of Denver, a veteran sportsman, through whose interest and enthusiasm the bird was first brought to my attention, and through whose personal efforts many of the specimens were secured. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. Plate I Breast feathers from Pedioecetes p. columbianus, campestris and jamesi. No. 4980 P. p. columbianus 9 ad. Jan. 16, 1916. Aspen, Colo. No. 4258 P. p. campestris $ ad. Jan. 28, 1915. Laird, Colo. No. 4951 P. p. jamesi (Type) c? ad. Feb. 15, 1916. Castle Rock, Colo. Lincoln — A Review of the Genus Pedioecetes in Colorado. 85 nape more rufous; feathers of lower hind neck, back and wing-coverts without distinct barring as is the case in both columbianus and campes- Iris. Under parts similar to campestris, but with dark markings much larger and extending over the entire surface, except for narrow area on belly and anal region; feathers of chest narrowly tipped with white; dark markings intermediate in width between columbianus and campes- tris, but with a distinct and persistent median band of pale grayish buff, as faintly noted in occasional examples of campestris;* throat creamy white (never ochraceous or buffy as in columbianus and campestris), un- spotted, or (rarely) with minute markings of light dusky faintly sug- gested ; lores soiled white ; wide streak of unbroken brownish dusky from nostril to, and including, ear-coverts ; patch of dusky black spots on lower cheeks more pronounced. Measurements of type (in millimeters). — Wing, 218.0; tail, 101.0; cul- men from base, 24.8; culmen from nostril, 13.0; tarsus, 40.7. Females average slightly smaller but differ in no other characters. Range. — The former range of jamesi probably included the entire Arkansas-South Platte Divide through Douglas and Elbert Counties to the limits of the scrub-oak (near Limon); northward through the foot- hills of the Front and Medicine Bow Ranges (Coal Creek and near Fort Collins); eastward at its northern limits to the Laramie Plains, Wyo. (Jay Em, Goshen Co.). Present range greatly restricted, with the center of abundance at the type locality. Remarks. — The gray cast of the upper parts of jamesi is most striking, particularly when compared with series of campestris and columbianus, while the differences in breast markings and the light cream-colored throat is equally obvious when viewed from beneath. In addition to the discovery of this race, as above described, sufficient material has been accumulated to definitely ascertain the exact status of the entire genus within the State, which in due fairness to previous authors should be presented in full, as it contains the precise solution of the enigma previously outlined, viz: — the unrecognized form described above. The range of Pedioectes p. columbianus is now definitely known to ex- tend in no place east of the Continental Divide, its distribution in Colorado being roughly, the region to the west of this natural barrier, and from the Wyoming line (Columbine, Routt Co.) south nearly or quite to the New Mexican line (Pagosa Springs, Archuleta Co.). Surprise must be felt that this conclusion was not reached years ago, as the high altitudes prevalent on the divide must form a perfect barrier to any extensive lateral movements of this or the related forms. The total absence of authentic records, however, is conclusive evidence that such is actually the case. The presence of campestris is of recent date in Colorado, the birds hav- ing come into the State coincident with the Prairie Chickens ( Tympanu- chus), with whom they are still found in some numbers. Present records *This character persists throughout the entire series of jamesi but is only found suggested in occasional examples of campestris. 86 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. would indicate that the 4,500 foot contour marks their extreme western limits, the center of abundance being the sandhill country of northern Yuma and Phillips Counties. Their present range in Colorado may be given as : — west from the Nebraska line to a point about twenty miles east of Sterling, Logan Co., extending from there southeast to the Republican River in Yuma County. The species seems, however, to be gradually pushing westward along the river bottoms, and there is, of course, the possibility of its ultimate meeting with jarnesi along the foothills, al- though the great differences in their respective environments make it seem decidedly improbable. It is the present writer's opinion that neither Professor Cooke nor Mr. Sclater actually saw specimens of this subspecies, as none of their records are from the regions it is now known to inhabit, the original error of Professor Cooke (merely followed by Mr. Sclater) probably being based purely upon conjecture and lack of inves- tigation. Pedioecetes p. jamesi has evidently been the immediate cause of this confusion, as many of the records already published in reality belong to this form. Thus, a specimen from near the type locality at Castle Rock was identified several years ago as subspecies columbianus by the Biologi- cal Survey, a probable error as the separation previously outlined would indicate. In addition to this separation from the western form, a long stretch of totally dissimilar country lies between its easternmost records and the western limits of campestris, the typical habitat of jamesi being the rough, broken scrub-oak country that immediately adjoins the foothills in many places on the eastern slope. In the northern part of the State, principally in Larimer County, sharp- tailed grouse were formerly fairly numerous, as stated by Professor Cooke, who assigned them to campestris. The significant fact that these birds had no geographic connection with the birds of the region to the east, however, was apparently passed unnoticed. Since that time the species has been almost totally exterminated in Larimer County, but from the scant material at hand I would unhesitatingly refer it to jamesi. Summarizing: columbianus occupies suitable localities west of the Con- tinental Divide ; jamesi the broken country adjoining the eastern foot- hills; and campestris a limited area in the prairie or sandhill country of the northeast quadrant. Vol. 30, pp. 87-88 May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE TWO FORMS OF RED SPELERPES OCCURRING AT RALEIGH, N. C. BY C. S. BRIMLEY. A request this fall from Mr. E. R. Dunn of Smith College, who has been recently doing work on the salamanders, for specimens of the " sparsely spotted form of Spelerpes ruber, that seems to occur at Raleigh," aroused my curiosity, and later on, in December, I overhauled all my red Raleigh Spelerpes. I may add, by way of explanation, that my original identifi- cation of Spelerpes ruber at Raleigh, had been made by means of Jordan's " Manual of Vertebrates," and that the common form at Raleigh had become firmly fixed in my mind as " ruber." On looking over my material it became evident that two forms existed at Raleigh side by side, which appeared to be probably distinct species, and that the common form instead of being " ruber," was the Spelerpes montanus of Baird. A let- ter received a little later from Mr. Dunn, to whom I had written on the subject, stated that he had compared Raleigh specimens with the type of montanus, and was convinced that they were the same. These two forms, as represented in my Raleigh series, differ as follows : Spelerpes ruber. Whole upper parts, including head, down to and in- clusive of upper jaw, thickly spotted with black, the spots on the back larger, and more or less confluent. Under parts finely dusted with black along center of belly. Edges of lower jaw more or less spotted with black. Ground color more orange than in montanus. Palatine teeth curving forward in ten specimens to meet parasphenoids at an acute 21— Peoc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 30, 1917. (87) 88 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. angle, in one to meet them at right angles. Parasphenoid patches well separated, nearly parallel, not approximated in front. Head flatter and broader than in montanus, its width contained 4.8 to 5.6 times in length to groin. Tail from groin less than one-half the total length. Form rather short and stout. Sixteen specimens from Raleigh examined, eleven of which were measured and examined for dental characters. Spelerpes montanus. Upper parts with thinly or thickly scattered round black spots, these never confluent anywhere, and few in number or absent on snout and top of head. Under parts with or without large or small black spots or dots, ground color darker red, less orange than in ruber. Edges of lower jaw often immaculate in small specimens, usually more or less heavily spotted or clouded with black in adults. Palatine teeth meeting parasphenoids at right angles in about one-half of the speci- mens, gently curving backward from in front, to meet them without evident angle in the other half. Parasphenoids approximated closely in front and in most specimens divergent behind. Head higher and more arched, particularly back of the eyes, its width contained 5.7 to 7.1 times in length to groin, in fifteen of the specimens measured, in the sixteenth 5 times in length to groin, this last being an unusually short and stout specimen. Tail from groin often one-half total length. Form both of tail and body comparatively long and slender. To this form belong my figures of "ruber," in the plate accompanying my description of Spelerpes schencki (Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 1912, pp. 135-140). Number of speci- mens examined 112, all from Raleigh, N. C, of which number 16 were measured and examined for dental characters. Both ruber and montanus acquire with age a uniform purplish salmon color above which wholly or partially suppresses the markings of the dorsal surface. y Vol. 30, pp. 89-94 May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON \ NEW STARFISHES FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND CELEBES.* BY WALTER K. FISHER. The following new sea stars were collected during the Philip- pine cruise of the U. S. Fisheries steamer Albatross, 1907-1910. Dipsacaster imperialis, new species. Diagnosis. — Differing from D. nesiotes Fisher in having broader rays, more delicate, longer, and sharper paxillar spinelets, in averaging 1 or 2 additional true furrow spines to each adambulacral plate, and in having an odd interradial series of actinal intermediate plates, which reach only a little more than half the distance between the outer end of combined mouth plates and inferomarginals. Differing from D. sladeni Alcock in respect to the inferomarginal spines which are smaller and do not form a definite transverse series, especially on the proximal plates ; in having the distal marginals alternating, instead of opposite, and in having more numerous actinal intermediate plates on the ray, the second longitudinal series extending to the twenty-third or twenty-fourth inferomarginal, and the third extending to the sixteenth. R=160 mm., r=55 mm., R=3r— ; breadth of ray at base, 62 mmi. Rays broad at base, tapering from arcuate interbrachia, at first rapidly, then more gradually. Paxillae with numerous (80-90) slender, sharp, glassy spinelets in a brush-like group. Three oblique transverse series correspond to each superomarginal plate; the latter 38 to 40 in number, block-like, only a trifle wider than long in middle of ray. Inferomarginals with a tuft of enlarged spinelets on ambitus. Furrow spines 8 or 9, rectangular in section, compressed, bluntly pointed, lanceolate in contour, the edge to furrow. Subambulac- ral spines 25 to 30, of which 4 to 6 form a regular series back of the furrow series. Madreporic body large, 12 mm. in diameter, situated 14 mm. from inner margin of superomarginal plates, and concealed by about 25 paxillae. Type.— Cat. No. 37,037, U. S. N. M. Type locality.— "Albatross" station 5115, Verde Island Passage, north coast of Mindoro, 340 fathoms. * Published with permission of the Commissioner of Fisheries. 22— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (89) 90 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Cheiraster diomedeae, new species. Diagnosis. —Rays 5, long, slender, with narrow marginals carrying 1 superomarginal and usually 2 inferomarginal spines; abactinal plates with 10 to 15 spinelets on disk, and on ray usually 2 to 7 ; enlarged cen- tral spinules scattered on outer half or two-thirds of ray ; adambulacral furrow spines 10 to 12; 1 subambulacral spine except on outer part of ray, where there are 2; 11 to 13 oral, and 1 prominent suboral spine. Papularia small, with about 25 pores, which do not reach farther than opposite middle of third superomarginal. Pectinate pedicellariae on the abactinal surface, between the proximal superomarginals, over the inter- marginal suture, on the actinal intermediate plates; fasciculate pedicella- riae on the actinal surface of inferomarginals. Related to Ch. snyderi Fisher. R=86 mm., r=10mm., R=8.6r; breadth of ray at base (be- tween first and second superomarginals, 10 mm. ; at middle of ray, 5 mm. ). Type.— C&t. No. 37,035, U. S. N. M. Type locality. — "Albatross" station 5512, Iligan Bay, north coast of Mindanao, 423 fathoms, gray mud, fine sand; bottom temperature 52.8° Fahr. Lithosoma penichra, new species. Diagnosis. — Differing from L. actinometra Fisher in having slenderer, longer rays, narrower marginal plates, restricted petaloid papular areas, and more angular furrow margin to the adambulacral plates, the consecu- tive pairs of tube-feet being separated, beyond base of furrow, as in Nymphaster; surface of plates and encircling granules as in L. actino- metra ; width of ray at proximal end of first pair of superomarginals (fifth) which meet medially equal to length of 3 or 3% superomarginals measured on ambitus (5 in L. actinometra). R=86 mm., r=21mm., R=4+ r; breadth of ray at interradius 24 mm., at proximal end of fifth superomarginal, 9.5 mm. Type locality. — "Albatross" station 5528, between Siquijor and Bohol Islands, Philippines, 439 fathoms, globigernia ooze, bottom temperature 53.3° Fahr. Nardoa tumulosa, new species. Diagnosis. — In a general way resembling N. frianti Koehler in having prominent, large, hemispherical abactinal plates, but these much fewer and relatively slightly larger than in frianti, lower in proportion to width and evenly rounded or dome-shaped. They are confined to the abactinal surface and proximal two-thirds of ray; plates of distal third of ray small, crowded, convex ; disk high. R=about 90 mm., r=about 14 mm., R=6.4 r; breadth of ray at base, 17 mm. ; height of disk, 21 mm. Type.— Cat. No. 37,028, U. S. N. M. Type locality.— "Albatross" station 5160, off Tinakta Island, Tawi Tawi Group, Sulu Archipelago, 12 fathoms, sand. Fishei — New Starfishes from the Philippines and Celebes. 91 Bunaster lithodes, new species. Diagnosis. — Very close to B. ritteri Doderlein in general appearance, but differing in lacking the curious ball-and-socket granules of that form, and in having abundant, low, bivalved pedicellariae on the papular areas, and a few narrow tongs-shaped pedicellariae on the abactinal plates; outer actinal intermediate plates larger than the inner, and sub- am bulacral spines slightly narrower; granules between the naked areas of plates smaller and more numerous. R=22 mm., r=5 mm., R=4.4 r; breadth of ray at base, 6 mm. Type. — No. 2498, Museum of Comparative Zoology. Type locality. — Apo Reef, Mindoro Strait, Philippines. Asterina cristata euerces, new subspecies. Diagnosis. — Very close to typical A. cristata Fisher but differing in having abactinal, spiniform pedicellariae, only 12 to 14 swollen abactinal plates to a ray, 8 furrow spines, and S or 9 marginal mouth spines. R=20 mm., r=9 mm., R=2.2 r; breadth of ray at base, 10 mm. Type.— Cat. No. 37,036, U. S. N. M. Type locality. — Ulugan Bay (near mouth of Baheli River), Palawan Island, 2 to 5 feet, mud, sand, sea-weeds. Henricia microplax, new species. Diagnosis. — Rays 5. R=45 mm., r=7 mm., R=6.4r; breadth of ray at base, 8 mm. Rays slender, depressed, slightly swollen at base; disk small with an interradial sulcus near margin. General appearance of abactinal surface similar to that of H. sanguinolenta ; superomarginal plates forming an inconspicuous series ; inferomarginals in a regular con- spicuous series ; 3 or 4 series of actinal intermediate plates at base of ray ; adambulacral spines about 15, besides 3 or 4 on the furrow face of plate. Type.— Cat. No. 37,006, U. S. N. M. Type locality. — "Albatross" station 5518, Mindanao Sea, off Point Tagolo, Mindanao, 200 fathoms, gray mud, globigernia, bottom tempera- ture 54° Fahr. Henricia arcystata, new species. Diagnosis. — Similar in general appearance to H. mutans (Koehler), but with shorter rays, 2 or 3 spinelets on the furrow face of the adambu- lacral plates ( instead of apparently 1 ) , and with a distinct series of T-shaped inferomarginals and crescentric superomarginals. R=72 mm., r=l0 mm., R=7.2 r; breadth of ray at base, 9 to 10 mm. Rays slender, depressed, curved at the end, tapering very slightly. Type.— Cat. No. 37,007. U. S. N. M. Type locality. — "Albatross " station 5536, between Negros and Siquijor, 278 fathoms, green mud, bottom temperature 53.5° Fahr. 92 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Acanthaster brevispinus, new species. Diagnosis. — Resembling A. mauritiensis de Lorio, but differing in hav- ing the abactinal spines of disk reduced to mere spinelets, in having smooth or nearly smooth disk spines on both surfaces and in having only 2 or 3 furrow spinelets, shorter than the length of their plate, instead of decidedly longer. Rays 14 to 16; madreporic bodies, 3 to 5; R=90 mm., r=51 mm., R=1.76 r. Type.— -Oat. No. 37,027, U. S. N. M. Type locality. — "Albatross" station 5149, off Sirun Island, Sulu Archi- pelago, vicinity of Siasi, 10 fathoms, coral, shells. Distolasterias hypacantha, new species. Diagnosis. — Rays 5. R=129 mm., r=8 mm., R=16r; breadth of ray at widest part near base, 14 or 15 mm. Resembling D. mazophora (Al- cock) and D. euplecta Fisher, from both of which it differs in having, on the proximal half of ray, a series of small spines between the adambulacral spines and the inferomarginal spines (of which there are 2). On abactinal surface, between the two superomarginal series, are 3 series of spines proximally, and only 1, the carinal, distally; only 1 kind of major pedi- cellariae present, slender and lanceolate in form ; rays pentagonal in sec- tion, the width of the lateral face proximally being about two-thirds that of either dorsal face (between superomarginal and carinal row of spines) while distally all four are nearly equal ; disk very small, sunken below the dorsal surface of rays; rays constricted at base. D. dubia (H. L. Clark) has shorter, relatively stouter rays, stouter abactinal skeleton, larger major pedicellariae, broader and more flattened outer inferomar- ginal spines, deeply furrowed on the actinal side. Type.— Cat. No. 37,032, U. S. N. M. Type locality. — "Albatross" station 5417, between Cebu and Bohol, 165 fathoms, gray mud and sand, bottom temperature 54.4° Fahr. Tarsaster distichopus, new species. Diagnosis. — Rays 5. R=48 mm., r=5 mm., R=9.6 r; breadth of ray at base, 6.5 mm. Disk very small, convex; rays long, slender, bluntly pointed; abactinal surface prominently arched, with very slight mid- radial carinal ridge ; actinal surface nearly plane, the sides of ray as de- fined by the 2 series of marginals, nearly perpendicular, but sloping inward toward the furrow slightly. Differing from T. stoichodes Sladen in having 1 adambulacral spine, 1 spine on the midradial plates, promi- nent unguiculate forficiform pedicellariae in the furrow, and biserial tube-feet. Type— Cat. No. 37,031, U. S. N. M. Type locality.— "Albatross" station 5664, Macassar Strait (4° 43' 22" S., 118° 53' 18" E.), 400 fathoms, hard bottom, bottom temperature 43.3° Fahr. Fisher — New Starfishes from the Philippines and Celebes. 93 Pedicellaster chirophorus, new species. Diagnosis. — Rays 5. R=27 mm., r=4 mm., R=7r±; breadth of ray at base, 4.5 mm. Rays slender, tapering, disk small; plates cruciform, in regular series, each bearing a short thorny spinelet and 1 to 3 ovoid forcipiform pedicellariae. Adambulacral armature: a transverse row of 3, then 2 spinelets 2 or 3 times longer than those of the adjacent actinal and marginal plates, and here and there along the ray a large unguiculate pedicellaria usually borne on or near the furrow margin; these are 1 to 1.2 mm. long, have usually 3 curved claws or teeth, and resemble 2 minute clasped hands (with 3 short fingers). Type.— Cat. No. 37,030, U. S. N. M. Type locality.— "Albatross" station 5656, Gulf of Boni, Celebes (3° 17' 40" S., 12° 36' 45" E. ), 484 fathoms, gray mud, bottom temperature 41.2° Fahr. Odinia magister, new species. Diagnosis. — Differing from 0. pacifica Fisher in having a perfectly smooth integument on the genital region, in having more numerous, stouter and shorter spines (6 or 7) on the largest lateral fans beyond the genital region, and in having a differently formed articulating surface to the first pair of ambulacral plates of the ray. Disk and number of rays unknown. Rays 350 to 360 mm. ; breadth at base measured at fifth ad- ambulacral plate (the first one which is not joined to its vis-a-vis of the adjacent ray) 10 mm. Size very large; genital region occupying about one-fourth total length of ray, and crossed by about 10 costae, the first 4 or 5 being very irregular and hard to distinguish ; lateral spines 5 to 7, 4 and 3 distally; only 1 subambulacral spine, proximally flattened and grooved at tip ; pedicellariae all small ; none on the integument of genital region ; no integumentary prickles or spinelets. Type.— Cat. No. 37,026, U. S. N. M. Type locality. — "Albatross" station 5258, off southern Panay, 10° 27' 45" N., 122° 12' 30" E.); marked intermediate haul in list of dredging stations. Vol. 30, pp. 95-96 May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON THE PORTO RICAN GRASSHOPPER SPARROW. BY JAMES L. PETERS. Ridgway, in 1901, t gave the range of Ammodramus savanna- rum savannarum as "Jamaica and Porto Rico, resident; and according to Hartert the islands of Curasao and Bonaire . . . " Since that time Hartert has described! Ammodramus s. caribaeus from Curacao and Bonaire, and A. s. intricatus§ from Santo Domingo. Wetmore, in his report on the Birds of Porto Rico, II referred specimens of A. savannarum from that island to the Haytian race. While collecting in Porto Rico for the Museum of Compara- tive Zoology in the winter of 1916-17, I secured a small series of the resident Grasshopper Sparrow, and have been able to compare it with the series I collected during the previous winter in Santo Domingo. This study proves that the Porto Rican bird belongs to a hitherto undescribed race, which, instead of being closest to A. s. intricatus, is much more like A. s. savannarum in appearance, the latter hereby restricted to Jamaica. The resident form of the Grasshopper Sparrow found in Porto Rico I propose to call Ammodramus savannarum borinquensis, subsp. nov. Type, No. 80,493, collection Museum of Comparative Zoology, adult male, Cabo Rojo, Porto Rico, February 5, 1917, James L. Peters. (Orig. No. 2009.) Similar to A. s. savannarum (Gmelin), but averaging smaller; crown * Published by permission of the Director of the Museum of Comparative Zo61ogy. + Bull. 50, U. S. Nat. Mus.. Part I (p. 206). t Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, 19, 1907 (pp. 92-94). $Nov. Zool., IX, 1902 (p. 298). II Bull. 326, U. S. Dept. Agr., 1916 (p. 127). 23— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (95) 96 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. stripe, edgings of interscapulars, inner secondaries and upper tail-coverts warm buff* instead of light buff, color of the sides of head, flanks, under tail-coverts and band across breast more intense (between cinnamon buff and clay color). Measurements (in millimeters). M. C. Z. No. Sex. Wing. Tail. Bill. Tarsus 80,492 (? 57 47 12 21 80,493 d1 (type) 58 44 12 21.5 80,494 9 55 44 12 20.5 December specimens from Jamaica somewhat approach the Porto Rican bird in the intensity of the buff, but may be readily distinguished by the general grayish tone of the upper tail-coverts, which are distinctly buffy in specimens from Porto Rico. The Santo Domingo bird is different from either, the prevailing ground color of the upper parts is blackish and the buff is paler, particularly above, than even the Jamaican bird. * Colors according to Ridgway's Standard of 1912. Vol. 30, pp. 97-104 May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NOTES ON THE HERPETOLOGY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS. BY THOMAS BARBOUR. In continuance of a policy, long since announced, of making a complete survey of the vertebrate fauna of the West Indies, the Museum of Comparative Zoology sent expeditions this winter again to Cuba and the Island of Pines, also to Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mr. James Lee Peters spent sev- eral months exploring the latter group and visited several islands which have not been visited by a zoologist for many years. He returned to recite the old familiar story of a fauna already sadly depleted and fast disappearing. He found the mongoose exces- sively abundant upon St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola; he learned that once long ago it had been introduced upon Virgin Gorda, but there it has been completely eradicated mirabile dictu, and important if true. This extermination is a unique feat and one for which Virgin Gorda deserves real fame. Anegada is and has ever been quite free, so also Jost van Dyke and Water Island, Mosquito Island, Ginger Island, and others of the smaller outlying Keys. Most of the islands which Peters visited are similar in general topography. Hilly, and once densely wooded, Tortola, and Virgin Gorda are not strikingly different from St. Thomas. Anegada, on the other hand, belongs to another system — the outer Antillean arc of Suess — and is low, flat, arid, and wholly similar in general characteristics to almost any one of the Ba- hamas. These northern Virgin Islands are washed by a northward- drift current. W. C. Fishlock, Esq., curator of the British Experiment Station upon Tortola, told Peters that after the terrific eruption of Mt. Pelee upon Martinique that dugout 24— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (97) 98 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. canoes and pumice floated ashore upon several islands of the group. This current was also noted by Schomburgk, who visited Anegada about 1836 and who attributed some of the geologic shore formations upon that island to the fact that they were deposits of current-borne silt from the Orinoco River laid down upon her shores. The important and interesting point is that in spite of this evidently strong and efficient current there is no evidence that it has had any influence in supplying the islands with a resident fauna. I have pointed out in the past that the presence of Amphis- baena upon St. Thomas was extremely significant and I have always had a feeling that other typically Greater Antillean genera would be found to occur among these islands if artificial changes had not already too greatly depleted the fauna. This belief was responsible for Peters' visit, this and the desire to secure Anoles from Tortola to try if possible to settle the status of the much bandied-about Anolis richardii of Dumeril and Bibron. I can not begin to express the great pleasure I ex- perienced when I found that Peters had a Bufo from Virgin Gorda and a Cyclura from Anegada. It is no exaggeration to say that these are as significant as any herpetological finds made in the Antilles in recent years. The fauna of the Virgin group, of which only a part still persists, shows that it was truly Greater Antillean and that the islands were beyond doubt connected with a portion of the Greater Antillean land mass — that is with the Cuba, Haiti, Porto Rico area — probably after the separation of Jamaica, to the westward, and the Lesser Antillean land mass, to the southeastward. Dr. G. M. Allen and Mr. Peters while exploring a cave near Ciales in Porto Rico found several jaws which I believe are beyond doubt those of a Cyclura, and Mr. G. S. Miller, Jr., informs me that the U. S. National Museum has received what he believes to be the bones of a Cyclura from another nearby island. Peters heard of the seine upon one or two islands, but was unable to secure any; he found snakes very rare — fast disappearing. SAURIA. Sphaerodactylus macrolepis Giinther. In the collection there are specimens from St. Thomas, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, and Anegada. These have been compared with a large series in Barbour — Notes on the Herpetology of the Virgin Islands. 99 the M. C. Z. from St. Croix. All belong to the same species ; the Anegada specimens are much paler, more ashy, than any of the others, and the variation observable in this large number of individuals shows that S. grandisquamis Stejneger, from Porto Rico, distinguished by the larger size of the dorsal scales is really far from conspicuously distinct. The species may perhaps stand, however, since there is no doubt but that the average numbers of scales upon the dorsal area is slightly fewer. Ameiva exul (Cope). Peters got ground lizards as follows: 1 from Ginger Island nearTortola, 3 from Tortola, 2 from Mosquito Island near Virgin Gorda, 9 from Virgin Gorda, 13 from Anegada, and 8 from Water Island near St. Thomas. Although this series varies somewhat in coloration from island to island, I believe that beyond doubt all these lots represent the same species. To my disappointment no Ameiva of the polops-wetmorei series turned up. Ameivseof this group are excessively rare everywhere, perhaps just disap- pearing; they may have completely gone in these islands. Anolis cristatellus Dumeril and Bibron. Peters found this lizard common everywhere, and he secured specimens upon St. Thomas, Anegada, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Water Island, and Mosquito Island near Virgin Gorda. These have been compared with each other and with specimens in the M. C. Z. from Porto Rico and St. Croix. The species is variable, but I believe the same form inhabits all these different islands. Reinhardt and Liitken (Vid. Meddel. Naturh. Foren., 1862 (1863), p. 249), in their most excellent paper record crista- tellus from St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Jost van Dyke, Water Island, Tortola, Vieques, and Porto Rico. Anolis stratulus Cope. Reinhardt and Liitken (1. c, p. 255) record this species from St. Thomas, Porto Rico, Vieques, Tortola, and Jost van Dyke. Peters found a single example upon Tortola, while Garman got two, years ago, upon St. Thomas, during the Blake cruise. These three seem the same as other examples before me from Porto Rico and Vieques. Anolis pulchellus Dumeril and Bibron. Specimens which have been compared with examples of pulchellus from St. Thomas and Porto Rico were taken by Peters upon Virgin Gorda, Tortola, and Anegada. Of these three islands Reinhardt and Liitken had the species from Tortola alone. Peters believes that beyond doubt this and the preceding two species are the only Anoles found upon any of these islands. No sign of A. krugi was found, though Stejneger thought (Herp. of Porto Rico, 1902 (1904), p. 659) that possibly krugi might occur in the highlands of some of the islands of the Virgin group. Dumeril and Bibron (Erp. Gen., 4, 1841, p. 141) described A. richardii, expressly stating that the type was a single example taken on Tortola by 100 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. the elder Richard, the botanist. The description in general is vague and verbose but they expressly state that: a: the specimen had keeled ventral scales; b: the supraorbital semicircles were separated throughout by a single series of scales; c: that the large occipital shield was in contact with the posterior scales of the semicircles. Pulchellus fulfills the first two conditions but not the last. Bocourt figured what he said was the type of A. richardii (Miss. Sci. Mex. , pi. 15, fig. 6) and the top of the head which he shows fulfills conditions b and c; but he assures us that the specimen came from Martinique! I can match Bocourt's figure (which shows the upper surface of the head only) with our series of sev- eral different Lesser Antillean species but not with A. roquet (Lacepede) of Martinique; no one, however, of these species has keeled ventrals. Indeed, species with such keeled scales are excessively rare, if not un- known, outside of the Greater Antillean district and the mainland. A few forms like A. ferreus, from Guadeloupe, sometimes have the centres of the ventrals swollen but scarcely carinate, in the true sense of the term. Thus the matter stands, and I believe that until the type in Paris can be examined — if it still exists — that it is best to consider A. richardii a synonym of A. pulchellus and that the type was perhaps anomalous or possibly the describers had another specimen in hand or in mind at the moment the description was penned. Cyclura pinguis, sp. nov. Not closely related to any known species. Remarkable in having a heavy, fat, pendulous nuchal fold with but a few flat inconspicuous tuber- cles representing the nuchal crest ; in having the nostrils rather narrowly oval, comparatively small, slanting, and widely separated from the rostral by two rows of large scales. Color in life, where the skin is freshly shed, dark slaty-gray with rather brilliant blue spots — on the tail each spot confined to a single scale. Type, an aged female, M. C. Z. No. 12,082, from Anegada, British Virgin Islands, March, 1917, J. L. Peters, collector. Rostral as wide as the mental, not in contact with the nasals; nasals rather small, perforated in an oblique direction, mesially, with a rather narrow elongate opening; each nasal surrounded by many small scales and separated from the rostral by two conspicuous rows of rather large flat scales; no modified supranasals; nasals separated from each other by about four or five polygonal, flat scales, wrhich are similar to those of the whole upper surface of the head ; all upper head scales small, flat, or striate, pavement-like, in this aged specimen, their sutures almost indis- tinguishable; contour scales recalling C. collei but arrangement more similar to that of C. carinata ; no indication of a supraocular disc or nasal horn; occipital very small; eleven supralabials to below the centre of the eye ; about four feebly enlarged and keeled scales forming a weak subocular series; no tubercular or swollen scales in the temporal region, no conspicuously enlarged scales below the angle of the mouth ; infra- labials too indistinct to count; dorsal scales minutely granular; ventrals Barbour — Notes on the Herpetology of the Virgin Islands. 101 much larger, smooth and imbricating; on the nuchal region, a peculiar fleshy fold hanging far over on the right side of the neck, no nuchal spines ; series of dorsal spines beginning well posterior to the scapular region, spines 33 in number, highest spines about 10 from posterior end of series, about 1.5 cm. high; series widely interrupted upon the sacral region ; caudal crest consisting of about 12 spines which grow progres- sively smaller from the first to the last spine; upper surfaces of limbs with many series of large diamond-shaped, feebly keeled scales; about 15 femoral pores on each side; toe combs as in stejnegeri and nigerrima; tail slightly compressed, with segments very poorly denned ; each con- sisting of a short incomplete row and three complete rows each progres- sively slightly larger in size ; distal portion of the tail with a feebly serrate crest of low tubercular scales. Color in life, brownish gray, on the limbs and tail in patches where the skin has recently shed there are bright blue spots each limited to a single scale. Mr. Peters heard of the Rock Iguana soon after his arrival upon Ane- gada but had no success in securing specimens. He reports them exces- sively rare, an occasional track in the sand being the only evidence of their presence. This island with others near by has suffered terribly from recent hurricanes and the forest or scrub laid low makes getting about the uncleared and uncultivated parts of the islands very difficult, as this wind-blown vegetation has had no time as yet to decay. It was only when Peters found an old iguana hunter who had a dog that finally he was able with extreme difficulty to secure the single living example, now before me. He heard nothing of its existence or persistence in the other islands which he visited, but there can be no doubt that it was previously generally distributed. Iguana rhinolopha Wiegmann. A single immature specimen apparently referable to this species was given Mr. Peters by S. Mailing-Holm, Esq., who captured it several years ago upon Water Island. Iguanas have been recorded from St. Thomas, Saba, Nevis, and various other islands nearby, sometimes as this species and sometimes as delicatissima. Both species occurred, perhaps even on the same islands. They were most probably introduced as food by pre- historic man ; there can be little doubt from the nature of their distribu- tion that their dispersal was either deliberately artificial or fortuitous. Serpentes. Alsophis antillensis (Schlegel). Three specimens from Virgin Gorda vary inter se in the intensity of the variegated dark brown dorsum, but in all of them the fifth vertebral row of scales has many of its components parti-colored— half whitish and white black, as is characteristic of the species. Peters did not secure Lemiadophis except upon Porto Rico, where he caught two examples of L. stahli Stej. 102 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Alsophis anegadae, sp. nov. Type, an adult, M. C. Z. No. 12,083, from Anegada, British Virgin Islands, March, 1917, J. L. Peters, collector. Two snakes from Anegada are both alike in having a squamation simi- lar to A. antillensis but in being pale ashy gray in color, the fifth scale row not parti-colored, but with a median streak of black. The upper lips are immaculate white, unspotted. This coloration is probably correlated with the fact that environmental conditions are very different upon Anegada from those characteristics of Porto Rico and the other islands of the Virgin group. Amphibia. Bufo turpis, sp. nov. Type, an adult, M. C. Z. No. 4099, from Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, February, 1917, J. L. Peters, collector. Very similar to Bufo lemur (Cope) of Porto Rico, only differing in a few relatively inconspicuous characters. The flange-like labial margin is sharper and thinner in turpis ; the snout is slightly more projecting and depressed and the median cephalic ridges are more widely separated, the forehead being rather more deeply concave. The color is ashy gray, the asperities are tipped with black ; there are two dark ocelli upon each thigh. By the merest chance a negro lad, near Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, found this toad either under or in a water barrel — Peters was not sure which. No one to whom he showed it had ever seen a similar creature nor did the offer of a large reward bring forth a second specimen. Indeed, the fact that there was a resident toad about was a possibility entirely unsus- pected by every one. Whether a toad, equally rare, or of similarly retir- ing habits occurs upon Tortola and St. Thomas may never be known, but we can hardly doubt that once there was one. Stejneger's account of finding Bufo lemur is almost as astonishing as Peters' good fortune (see Herp. of Porto Rico, 1902 (1904), p. 573). Reinhardt and Liitken knew of no indigenous toad in this region though (1. c, p. 202) they say that toads occasionally appear in St. Thomas carried in lumber from Haiti and Vieques. This statement is wholly incredible and refers, at that, they say only to Bufo marinus (L. ) which has been artificially in- troduced to most of the West Indies. Reinhardt and Liitken evidently had their facts wrong, for Bufo marinus, a species impossible to mistake for any other, has never been introduced into Haiti or Vieques. Proba- bly these authors had been informed that Hylas or other arboreal ' ' toads ' ' were occasionally carried about, for this occurs commonly. Eleutherodactylus antillensis ( Reinhardt and Liitken). Series from both St. Thomas and Tortola are the same as examples from Vieques. It was previously unknown from Tortola. Dry weather con- ditions made the collecting of Eleutherodactyli very difficult, and on St. Barbour — Notes on the Herpetology of the Virgin Islands. 103 Thomas not a single example of E. lentus was taken where it abounds and is usually found to be much more common than this species. Leptodactylus albilabris (Gfinther). Previously known from Porto Rico, Vieques, St. Thomas (type local- ity), St. Croix, and Jost van Dyke, it is before me now in large series from both Tortola and Anegada. With every added locality recorded the probability that its presence in the islands is fortuitous, becomes less and less. The identity of albilabris with labialis is probably a pure case of chance resemblance. The Virgin Islands individuals in the M.C. Z., now many, all differ from the large Porto Rican series in that they do not have the conspicuous white middorsal band so frequent in examples from that island. They have instead irregular arabesque or geometric markings of dark slate, edged with a narrow whitish line. Some speci- mens taken at St. Croix by Messrs. Ruthven and Noble, who chanced to be there together during the summer of 1914, show a very peculiar con- dition. The edge of the snout is projected and thickened as if to serve as a burrowing adaptation. None of these specimens taken during the winter show this modification ; there can be no doubt as to all the indi- viduals being conspecific and this may be a peculiarity assumed only during the mating season. A recent dissection of the unique type of Leptodactylus inoptatus Bar- bour from Hayti, made by Mr. G. K. Noble, reveals the very unexpected fact that inoptatus is in reality a giant Eleutherodactylus. It does not seem to be closely related to any hitherto described Antillean species of the genus but it does have certain rather striking features in common with Eleutherodactylus insignatus Ruthven recently described from the Santa Marta Mts. in Colombia. Vol. 30, pp. 105-106 May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON DESCRIPTION OF A NEW RACE OF SAY'S GROUND SQUIRREL FROM WYOMING. BY ARTHUR H. HOWELL. A study of the Wyoming specimens of the genus Callosper- mophilus in the Biological Survey collection for the purpose of mapping the ranges of the several forms shows that an unrec- ognized race occupies the Wind River and Gros Ventre ranges, with their foothills. It is here named for Mr. Merritt Cary, of Neligh, Nebraska, in recognition of his work on the Wyoming fauna. Callospermophilus lateralis caryi, subsp. nov. Type, Adult female, skin and skull, No. 176,826, U. S. National Mu- seum (Biological Survey Collection), from 7 miles south of Fremont Peak, Wind River Mountains, Wyoming (altitude 10,400 feet); collected July 19, 1911, by Merritt Cary; original number, 2211. General characters. —Similar to C. I. castanurus, but upperparts (in spring pelage) decidedly grayer (less vinaceous); dorsal stripes clearer white; head, mantle, and rump paler; under surface of tail much paler. Compared with cinerascens : Under side of tail darker (clear pinkish cin- namon or tawny unmixed with black); mantle paler; skull decidedly smaller. Compared with lateralis: Upperparts grayer; dorsal stripes more distinct, the black and white stripes strongly contrasted ; sides and underparts clearer white; under side of tail darker. Color. — Worn winter pelage : Upperparts smoke gray more or less mixed, especially on head, shoulders, and rump, with cinnamon or pale russet; dorsal stripes broad, clear white, bordered on each side with a clear black stripe; underparts grayish white; feet white; under surface of tail varying from pinkish cinnamon to tawny, bordered with black, the sides tipped with pinkish buff. Summer pelage (specimen from Gros Ventre Range, 12 miles northwest of Kendall, Wyo. ) : Head and mantle tawny; sides of nose grayish white; white dorsal stripes tinged with bufl ; median dorsal area vinaceous cinnamon, mixed with whitish; sides, un- derparts, and feet washed with cinnamon-buff; tail as in winter pelage. 25— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 30, 1917. (105) 106 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Skull. — Similar to that of castanurus, possibly averaging a little larger; decidedly smaller than that of cinerascens or of lateralis. Measurements. — Average of 6 adults from Wind River and Gros Ventre ranges: Total length, 274.5; tail vertebrae, 95; hind foot, 40.7. Skull (type): occipito-nasal length, 42.7; zygomatic breadth, 25.9; mastoidal breadth, 18.4; least interorbital breadth, 12; length of nasals, 14.2; al- veolar length of maxillary toothrow, 8.2. Remarks.— This race is most nearly related to castanurus from which it may always be distinguished by its paler tail. In winter pelage caryi is decidedly grayer dorsally than castanurus; in summer pelage the differ- ences in color apparently are less, but only a single adult in full pelage has been examined and that from a region where we might expect inter- gradation to occur. Certain immature specimens of caryi bear a marked resemblance to certain specimens of trepidus from Nevada, but compari- son of typical adults shows that caryi differs from that form in having the shoulders and sides of the head darker — tawny instead of ochraceous. Specimens examined. — Total number, 11, from localities as follows: Wyoming : Fremont Peak, 3 ; Lake Fork, Wind River Mts. , 2 ; Bull Lake, Wind River Mts., 1; Jakey's Creek, 5 miles south of Dubois, 3; Kendall (12 miles northwest), 1; Jackson, 1. Vol. 30, pp. 107-116 May 23, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NEW MAMMALS FROM NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. BY E. A. GOLDMAN. General comparison of museum material in connection with work in progress has revealed the existence of ten hitherto un- recognized subspecies of mammals representing various orders, families and genera. For the privilege of studying collections in their charge, and other courtesies I am much indebted to Dr. J. A. Allen and Mr. H. E. Anthony of the American Mu- seum of Natural History, New York, and to Mr. Samuel Hen- shaw, Mr. Outram Bangs, Dr. Glover M. Allen, and Dr. Thomas Barbour of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. The new forms are described as follows : Didelphis marsupialis particeps, subsp. nov. SAN MIGUEL ISLAND OPOSSUM. Type from San Miguel Island, Panama. No. 8439, d1 adult, Museum of Comparative Zoology (Bangs collection), collected by W. W. Brown, Jr., May 8, 1900. Original number 165. General characters. — Similar in general to Didelphis marsupialis etensis as represented on adjacent mainland, and Didelphis marsupialis colombica of South America, but face less blackish and skull differing from both in structural details, especially the narrow braincase and posteriorly spread- ing zygomata. Color. — Type: Muzzle yellowish; cheeks, middle of face and areas over eyes grayish brown ; over fur on top and sides of head and over dorsum black, the under color pale yellowish; under side of neck and abdomen yellowish or buffy, tinged with black ; orbital rings, ears, limbs, inguinal region and basal third of tail black ; terminal two-thirds of tail (epider- mis) yellowish. Skull. — Rather small, short and broad in general dimensions with broad rostrum, narrow braincase and posteriorly expanded zygomata. 26— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917. (107) 108 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Similar to those of D. m. etensis of the adjacent mainland, and D. m. colombica, but zygomata narrower anteriorly, more abruptly turned out- ward posteriorly, the aides less nearly parallel ; premaxillse broader, but less extended posteriorly, the outer borders notched or indented near posterior tips; nasopremaxillary suture longer owing to shortening of premaxillse ; frontopremaxillary line of contact between nasal and lachry- mals longer; rostrum similar to that of D. m. columbica, broader than that of D. m. etensis ; molars slightly smaller than in mainland forms. Measurements. — Type : Total length, 820; tail vertebrae, 405; hind foot, 64. An adult female topotype: 800; 410; 60. Skull (type): Greatest length, 102.5; zygomatic breadth, 58.2; breadth of rostrum in front of antorbital foramina, 20.3; postorbital constriction, 10.1; length of long- est nasal, 49; length of nasopremaxillary suture, 10; length of nasomax- illary suture, 22.8; maxillary toothrow ( back of last molar to front of canine), 44.5. Remarks. — Like the other mammals of San Miguel Island this opossum is clearly allied to forms inhabiting the adjacent mainland. In contrast with the subspecies occupying Coiba Island the face is light in color. The differential cranial characters noted are rather slight, but apparently dis- tinctive. The type and topotype are in the black phase. Specimens examined. — Two, from the type locality. Marmosa mexicana savannarum, subsp. nov. SAVANNA MARMOSA. Type from Boqueron, Chiriqui, Panama. No. 18,915, c? subadult (molars slightly worn), American Museum of Natural History, collected by J. H. Batty, October 31, 1901. Original number 883. General characters . — Allied to Marmosa mexicana isthmica and Marmosa mexicana zeledoni, but much smaller and paler than either; upperparts more ochraceous ; fur on middle of throat and chest nearly pure white to roots, instead of light buffy as in M. m. isthmica. Color. — Type: Upperparts between ochraceous — tawny and cinnamon- brown (Ridgway, 1912), darkest on top of head and over back, becoming more tawny on shoulders and outer sides of fore limbs, and lighter ochraceous-tawny on flanks and outer sides of hind limbs; chin, middle of throat, chest, and median line of abdomen nearly pure white to roots, rest of underparts near light ochraceous- buff; orbital areas black as usual in the group; feet (epidermis) yellowish, the hind feet clothed above with short whitish hairs ; tail brownish, slightly darker above than below. Skull. — Much smaller and more slender, but in general structure essen- tially like that of M. m. isthmica. Measurements.— Type: Total length, 267; tail vertebrae, 147; hind foot, 20. Skull (type): Greatest length, 32; condylobasal length, 30.8; width of braincase over audital bullae, 11.4; zygomatic breadth, 16.7; nasals, 19.5x3.9; interorbital breadth, 5; palatal length, 17.8; upper molari. form toothrow, 12.1. Remarks. — Contrasted with its geographic neighbors this small opossum is sufficiently distinguished by small size and pale coloration. The latter Goldman — New Mammals from North and Middle America. 109 character is shared with other mammals inhabiting the same generally open savanna region, and is evidently associated with environmental conditions. On the assumption that the rufescent pigmy opossums of Middle America are referable to the Linnaean species " murina " this name was included by True in his ' ' provisional List of the Mammals of North and Central America and the West Indian Islands,"* the animal being credited by him with a range from " Mexico to Brazil." The type region has since been fixed by Thomas as Surinamf and specimens regarded by him as cotypes are extant in the British Museum. Meanwhile numerous forms of the genus Marmosa have been described by various authors, most of which were treated as distinct species, but whose relationships are little known. Species apparently assignable to the same section of the genus inhabit Middle America, northern South America, and extend to some of the southern islands of the West Indies. The continental Middle American forms now known may confidently be referred to a single species which may prove to be typified by murina of Surinam ; but until the Linnaean animal and other South American forms already named are better known it seems advisable to regard them as distinct. + These small opossums are not to be confused with the still smaller light gray members of the Marmosa canescens group which ranges in southern and western Mexico. Specimens examined. — Total number, 5, all from southwestern Panama, as follows: Boqueron (type locality), 2§; Bugaba, 3||. Pecari angulatus bangsi.TT subsp. nov. BANGS COLLARED PECCARY. Type from Boca de Cupe, eastern Panama (altitude 250 feet). No. 179,976, %, reared from larva? collected by L. Bruner); Eagle Harbor, Michigan (H. G. Hubbard). Specimens from the Rocky Mountain region differ from the eastern ones in the dark coppery or metallic greenish blue color of themesonotum and the bluish tinge of the abdomen, but agree in all other respects. Knob — On Some North American Species of Microdon. 135 Bigot's description is from a specimen of the form with copper-tinted mesonotum which apparently had lost its abdomen. The specimens de- scribed by Cockerell and Andrews as a subspecies of Microdon tristis (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 51, 1916, p. 55) are of this form. The thoracic pile of all these western specimens is more yellow than in the eastern ones. Originally described from Washington Territory. In addition to the two specimens from Boulder, Colorado, above mentioned, there are before me specimens from Kaslo and Ainsworth, British Columbia (R. P. Currie); Hoquiam, Washington (H. E. Burke); Lake Tahoe, California (Hubbard and Schwarz); North Cheyenne Canyon, El Paso County, Colorado (A. B. Champlain); Douglas County, Colo., reared by C. T. Greene from larvae found with Formica truncicola integroides variety haemorrhoidalis Emery.* In these specimens the thoracic integument ranges in coloration from dull coppery to metallic blue. A nearly black specimen from Clyde, Colorado, 10,000 feet (Daecke collection), ap- proaches the eastern form in coloration. + There is a considerable number of puparia before me, in most cases associated with imagos. These puparia show characteristic reticulations, with rows of heavier ridges dorsally and at the sides. The puparia of the eastern and of the western forms of cothurnatus are indistinguishable, as is evident from the material before me. Microdon tristis Loew. This species resembles cothurnatus in general appearance, but differs markedly in the broader frons, the longer and more slender antennae, the shape of the more prominent and strongly dentate scutellum, the elongate, narrower abdomen and the different arrangement of the white pile on the latter. There are before me six specimens from Inglenook, Pennsylvania, col- lected by V. A. E. Daecke and W. S. Fisher; also a female from Lotell, Pa. (Daecke). The species has never been found in the vicinity of Washington and the type undoubtedly came from the mountainous por- tion of Virginia, probably Berkeley Springs (now in West Virginia), where Osten Sacken spent vacations. According to Johnson it ranges as far northward as Massachusetts. Microdon ruficrus (Williston). Microdon tristis var. ruficrus Williston, 1886, Synopsis No. Amer. Syr- phidae, p. 7. This species, which was described as a varietal form of cothurnatus (" tristis'7 Williston), appears to have remained unrecognized by subse- quent workers. Aside from its superficial resemblance, it is one of the most distinct species. This is not apparent from the original description, •Determination S. A. Rohwer. t Charles R. Jones describes a Microdon similis, from Colorado, in Annals Ent. Soc. Amer., vol. 10, No. 2, p. 219 (June, 1917). The description is wholly inadequate, but as far as it goes answers very well for one of the darker forms of cothurnatus. The length indicated, 14 mm., exceeds the largest specimen now before me by only one millimeter. 136 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. which dwells principally on unessential color differences. Characteristic for this species is a pair of rather large depressions on the dorsum of the second abdominal segment, laterally close to the margin ; these leave the lateral margins raised and convex. In tristis and the other species of the group the dorsum of the second abdominal segment is simple, without depressions or raised lateral margins. The abdomen is distinctly narrower and more elongate than in cothurnatus. In addition, the scutellum of ruHcrus is more elongate, less convex, distinctly emarginate apicallyand with a pair of large teeth. The body coloration is dark bluish, like some of the western specimens of cothurnatus, and the pile is pale throughout as in that species. However, the pile appears to be more sparse and shorter ; on the abdominal segments it forms narrow apical bands, nar- rowly interrupted in the middle, rather than large patches. The colora- tion of the legs, as given by Williston, is not diagnostic and varies in the same manner as in cothurnatus. The type, a male from Connecticut, and eight other specimens are be- fore me. These latter are: a male taken in the vicinity of Chain Bridge near Washington, June 9, 1905 (D. H. demons); a male, Great Falls, Virginia, June 25, 1915 (C. T. Greene); a male, Bladensburg, Maryland, June 13, 1916 (F. R. Cole) ; a male and female, Hancock, Maryland, Sep- tember 1, 1916 (Cole); a male and female collected by Mr. Daecke at Browns Mills Junction, New Jersey, June 22 and July 5, 1907; a male collected at Franconia, New Hampshire, July 18, 1915, by C. H. T. Townsend. The last mentioned specimen has the pile brassy yellow, but in all other respects agrees with the typical form. The specimens average appreciably smaller than cothurnatus. This species, in the modification of the second abdominal segment, shows a distinct approach toward coarctatus Loew and balliopterus Loew, where this segment shows two deep depressions and strong lateral swell- ings. The genus Omegasyrphus Giglio-Tos, based upon this modification, like other genera segregated from Microdon, appears untenable in the light of more complete knowledge. In addition to the intergradient character of M. ruficrus, M. laetus Loew and M. craigheadii Walton show a swollen second abdominal segment, however without the depressions observed in the already mentioned forms. Microdon piperi, new species. Male. — Dark metallic blue, moderately shining, the mesonotum with slight greenish luster. Frons strongly convex on posterior two-thirds, roughened, posteriorly less than one-third the width of head, strongly narrowed to transverse impression, beyond which point the ocular mar- gins again strongly diverge. Occiput and frons clothed wholly with dense short black pile, this reaching forward to insertion of antenna?. Face clothed wholly with dense recumbent creamy white pile. Antenna? black, long and slender, the first joint about as long as the second and third together, the third moderately thickened and broadly rounded at tip; arista a very stout bristle, shorter than third joint. Mesonotum with a Knab — On Some North American Species of Microdon. 137 pair of indistinct narrow blackish longitudinal stripes ; pile dirty yellow- ish gray, short and dense, longer and paler at lateral margins. Scutellum deep blue, broad and short, strongly convex, the hind margin rounded and with only a slight trace of median emargination, the spines rather small and remote from each other; pile yellow-gray, long and dense. Abdomen large, elongate-ovate, much broader than the thorax, broadest at hind angles of second segment and beyond this rounded off to the blunt apex; dorsum flattened anteriorly, convex on distal half; vestiture on second and third segments of creamy white pile, dense and longer at the sides, on the second covering the entire dorsum, on the third the sides and forming a broadly interrupted apical band; distal portion of abdo- men with sparse and inconspicuous dark hairs. Legs black, the tibiae basally tinged with dull ferruginous ; vestiture short and inconspicuous, that on the femora black, that on the tibiae with creamy yellow luster; tarsi ventrally with ferruginous yellow cushions ; pulvilli ferruginous, with a fine white fringe. Wings moderately broad, tinged with gray, without distinct cloudings at the cross-veins; posterior angles of first posterior and discal cells roundedly produced, not appendiculate, a large spur projecting into middle of first posterior cell from third vein. Halteres yellowish. Length: Body about 12 mm., wing 9 mm. Female. — Frons at posterior angles of eyes about one-third the width of head, the eye-margins straight and diverging very gradually to lower part of face ; transverse furrow indistinct. Vestiture of mesonotum and scutellum much more dense than in the male. Wings on distal half with brown cloudings along the veins. Abdomen broader than in the male, more strongly tapered toward the tip. Length: Body about 13 mm., wing 10 mm. Seattle, Washington, one male, issued June 27, 1901 (C. V. Piper) ; Oregon, one female, without indication of exact locality or collector; Mount Hood, Oregon, one female (Williston collection). Type: Cat. no. 21,414, U. S. Nat. Mus. The female from Mount Hood was included by Williston under cothur- natus in his "Synopsis of North American Syrphidse," page 8; it is in a poor state of preservation. The male was reared by Prof. C. V. Piper. The puparium resembles that of cothurnatus , showing reticulations of a very similar character ; these differ, however, in being more uniform, without the differentiated median and lateral series observable in cothur- natus ; it is also slightly less convex. Microdon bombiformis Townsend. There are seventeen specimens of this very distinct species before me, one from AVashington, District of Columbia, without indication of col- lector, four taken in Rock Creek Park, District of Columbia, by C. H. T. Townsend, the other twelve taken at Inglenook, Pennsylvania, by Mr. Daecke. Johnson has recently recorded the occurrence of this species in Massachusetts and Connecticut (Psyche, vol. 23, 1916, p. 76). The series of both sexes before me is remarkably uniform in coloration. 138 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. All have the mesonotum, scutellum and second abdominal segment metallic green-bine covered with yellowish pile; the abdomen beyond the second segment is wholly deep black and clothed with short, inconspicuous black pile. The scutellum is convex and unarmed. In the male the frons is much narrower than the width of one eye and strongly narrowed toward the antennae. Apparently this species is confined to the Appa- lachian region. Aldrich has placed Microdon bombiformis as a synonym of megalogaster Snow, a species of uncertain origin;* in this he has been followed by Johnson,! Cockerell and Andrews,* and Banks, Greene, McAtee and Shannon. § I am unable to concur in this synonymy, since Snow's de- scription, although it corresponds as to general coloration, disagrees in important details. Thus, the scutellum is stated to be "gently emargin- ate, the small obtuse tubercles approximate." All the specimens of bombiformis examined by me have the posterior margin of the scutellum evenly rounded and convex, without the slightest trace of tubercles or emargination. I must consider this difference fundamental. Further- more, Snow states that in megalogaster the front tibiae and metatarsi are clothed on the inner side with short golden pile; in bombiformis the front tibiae have a patch of dense yellow pile, visible only in certain lights and occupying slightly less than the distal half; similar pile occurs ventrally on the front metatarsi. || Microdon coloradensis Cockerell and Andrews. H This species, like the preceding one, resembles a bumble-bee in appear- ance and is further remarkable for its striking sexual dichroism. Prof. Cockerell informs me that he has procured additional specimens since the description was drawn up and that the sexual color differences prove to be constant. The female from Pecos, New Mexico, in the national col- lection belongs here, as already indicated by Cockerell and Andrews. Along with the two following ones, this species is remarkable for the broad short frons, the antennae being inserted unusually high upon the head. The male coloradensis has the frons considerably over one-third the width of the head and broadening regularly and very gradually toward the antennae. In all three species the third antennal joint is short and very broad near the base, shortly lanceolate in outline. * Cat. North Anier. Diptera. 1905. pp. 345, 346. + Psyche, vol. 23. 1916, p. 76. t Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 51, 1916, p. 53. § Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., vol. 29, 1916, p. 176. || Since going to press I have been able to examine 15 additional specimens M. bombiformis taken by Mr. W. S. Fisher at Inglenook, Pa., June, 1917. In two of the males very minute tubercles are perceptible on the scutellum; a few other males show slight apical indentations on the scutellum. None of the five females show any modi- fication of the scutellum. It should be noted that the pile of the scutellum is unusually long and dense in this species, so that very minute tubercles can hardly be detected without its removal. This leaves only the difference in the color of the pile on the front tibias to separate the species from megalogaster. II Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 51, 1916, p. 53. Knab — On Some North American Species of Microdon. 139 Microdon modestus, new species. Male. — Piceous black, without metallic luster. Frons broad, narrowing slightly and regularly to posterior angles of eyes, where it is distinctly more than one-third the width of the head ; transverse furrow arcuate, indistinct, an elongate polished bare spot over insertion of antenna?; vestiture of frons of black hairs with dirty yellowish ones intermixed, particularly posteriorly and at the sides. Face clothed with black hairs, some pale ones at lower margin. Antennae black; first joint long and slender, about equalling longitudinal diameter of head ; second joint slightly more than half as long as first, much enlarged distally ; third joint hardly as long as first, much thickened on basal third and beyond tapering to a sharp point ; arista a coarse piceous bristle, about equal in length to third joint. Mesonotum piceous black, rather shining, clothed with dull yellow hair, rather sparse on the disk and becoming dense to- ward margins. Scutellum broadly rounded posteriorly, unarmed, con- colorous with mesonotum and densely clothed with long dull yellow pile. Abdomen elongate-ovate, flattened, much broader than the thorax, broadest at third segment; color black, clothed dorsally with short but rather dense black pile, the posterior margin of the second segment nar- rowly yellow-haired and ending in patches of such hairs at posterior angles; third segment with similar patches of yellow hair at posterior angles ; fourth segment with a series of coarse pale setse at posterior mar- gin. Genitalia piceous brown. Venter with scattered long pale hairs. Legs black and clothed mostly with short black pile, the tarsi ventrally with slightly paler hairs, on the hind legs their first two joints ventrally \vi tli a dense cushion of dull ferruginous pile; pulvilli dull ferruginous, claws black. Wings short, moderately broad, grayish hyaline, unspotted; posterior angles of first posterior and discal cells roundedly produced, in both with the vein-section closing the cell sinuate and bearing a very short spur projecting inward. Halteres ferruginous yellow. Tegulae pale yellowish. Length: Body about 13 mm., wing 10 mm. Female. — Frons similar to the male, still broader, the transverse furrow obsolete; vestiture of frons and face almost wholly black. Mesonotum clothed wholly with black hairs. Scutellum mostly black-haired, a few whitish hairs intermixed. Abdomen wholly black -haired. Legs wholly black, only the cushions of the tarsi indistinctly paler. Length: Body about 11 mm., wing 8.5 mm. Elko, Nevada, 2 males, 1 female (no collector indicated). Type: Cat. no. 21,415, U. S. Nat. Mus. The type male has the hairs of the mesonotum and scutellum deep brownish yellow, while in the paratype male this pubescence is a very pale dirty yellow. Microdon senilis, new species. Female. — Black, without metallic luster. Frons at posterior angles of eyes fully one-third the width of head, broadening gradually and evenly to the face; transverse furrow obsolete, a narrow, smooth elevated stripe 140 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. medianly. Head-vestiture of black and pale yellowish hairs, the black ones predominating on middle of frons, the pale ones on lower half of face, occiput and orbits. Antennae black ; first joint moderately long and slender; second joint less than half the length of the first, much enlarged distally ; third joint stout, distinctly shorter than the first, thickened to basal third and beyond tapered to a sharp point; arista coarse, black, about as long as the third joint. Mesonotum shining black, clothed throughout with short, coarse, black pile, densest towards margins. Scutellum short and broad, the posterior margin irregularly rounded, unarmed ; vestiture of dull ochreous yellow pile. Abdomen elongate- ovate, flattened, much broader than the thorax, black, basally shining, beyond base of second segment rugose and clothed with very short black pile ; a small patch of pale hairs at posterior angles of second segment. Venter wholly black. Legs black and black-haired, the tibiae with pale yellowish hairs along the outer side; tarsi of all the legs ventrally with cushions of ferruginous pile. Pulvilli pale ferruginous; claws black. Wings broad, grayish hyaline ; posterior angles of first posterior and discal cells roundedly produced, the former with a stump projecting at the loca- tion of the angle. Halteres pale yellow. Length: Body about 14 mm., wing 10.5 mm. Claremont, California, one female (F. R. Cole). Type: Cat. no. 21,416, U. S. Nat. Mus. The specimen was generously presented to the national collection by Mr. Cole. The close relationship of this species with modestus and colora- densis is obvious through both structural and coloration characters ; how- ever, differences exist which leave no doubt that these forms are specifically distinct. Microdot! rufipes (Macquart). Aphritis rufipes Macquart, 1842, Dipt. Exot., vol. 2, pt. 2, p. 11, pi. 2, fig. 3. Microdon limbus Williston, 1886, Synopsis No. Amer. Syrphidse, p. 8. Williston's type, which is before me, agrees in every way with Mac- quart's description. In addition there are before me, a male from Jack- sonville, Florida (W. H. Ashmead), and a female from Newport News, Virginia, taken September 3, 1910, by E. W. Wall. Macquart's specimen is stated to have come from Philadelphia. Microdon fulgens Wiedemann. This is a large, robust, brilliantly metallic colored species originally de- scribed from Georgia. The species figures in some collections under the name aurifex, but it would seem incorrectly. It may be that the Mexican specimens so reported really belong to aurifex ; at all events, M. trochilus Walker, from Mexico, so referred, is stated to have the abdomen clothed with pale yellow hairs, as in a specimen from Para, Brazil, reported un- der aurifex by Macquart. The original description of aurifex, unfortun- Knab — On Some North American Species of Microdon. 141 ately, makes no mention of the abdominal vestiture, but states that the last two segments of the abdomen are nearly pure golden, which is hardly in agreement with our specimens. Microdon fulgens has the hairs of the abdomen, which are very short and do not obscure the body-color, for the most part black ; only at the sides slight patches of pale yellow hairs can be detected. The body-color varies considerably in different specimens, on the thorax from brilliant metallic blue and violet to blue-green ; on the abdomen from blue-green through golden green to brilliant red and nearly golden. Eleven specimens are before me: Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia, June, 1912, 2 males, 1 female (Cornell expedition); Enterprise, Florida, May 13, 1 female (H. G. Hubbard); Miami, Florida, October 22, 1 female (C. H. T. Townsend); "Florida," 1 male, 1 female; Dade County, Florida, 1 male, 1 female (E. A. Schwarz); Fort Meyers, Florida, May 7, 1916, 1 female (J. C. Bradley) ; Springfield, Missouri, July 16, 1912, 1 female (H. H. Knight). The two specimens last mentioned and the three from Georgia belong to tbe Cornell collection. One of the males from Georgia has on the abdomen, close to the base of the third segment, a velvet-black fascia; this is slightly arcuate, doubly emarginate in front, and stops considerably short of the lateral margins. Elongate patches of similar character appear on the lateral lobes of the second segment. These velvet-black markings are not due to pubescence, but apparently to a modification of the integument itself. The three other males before me show medianly on the third abdominal segment very faint indications of the beginning of such a fascia, but there is no trace of it in the females. With some doubt I refer here a male from Tehuantepec, Mexico (Sumichrast), and mention it only on account of the presence of the vel- vety fascia of the third abdominal segment. This differs from that in the specimen above described in being medianly produced posteriorly as well as anteriorly. Otherwise, the only appreciable differences from typical fulgens are the somewhat smaller size and less robust abdomen, as well as paler wings. Microdon scutifer, new species. Female. — Moderately stout. Head black. Frons over one-third the width of the head, the eye margins parallel to level of antenna? ; surface rather densely covered with setigerous punctures except about ocelli and above antennae; pile short, black on occiput, white in front of the obso- lescent transverse furrow. Face moderately convex, narrowing very slightly toward the mouth ; pubescence black in the middle, broadly yel- lowish white at the sides and beneath. Proboscis bright ferruginous. Antennas blackish, stout, moderately long, the first and third joints sub- equal ; third joint ochreous at base, moderately stout, nearly uniform throughout, bluntly rounded at apex ; arista very stout, much shorter than the third joint. Mesonotum bronzy black on the disk, the humeri, lateral and posterior margins broadly light ocher-yellow, posteriorly 142 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. forming two deep wedge-shaped indentations into the dark color and slighter ones at the transverse suture; vestiture very short and blackish on the disk, yellowish white and longer on the yellow portions. Scutel- lum light ocher-yellow, moderately prominent, inflated, with two rather closely approximated but distinct and stout spines; vestiture rather sparse, inconspicuous, yellowish gray, that on the spines whitish. Pleurae ocher-yellow spotted with brown, the sternopleurae dark brown and with a patch of pale golden hair. Abdomen elongate, broader than the thorax, broadest at the apex of second segment, tapered very gradually to apex of fourth, the fifth segment tapered to a blunt point and having the form of a nearly equilateral triangle ; color dorsally ocher-yellow and blackish brown, the dark color broad on the middle of the first segment and base of second, continued over the third segment in a narrow median stripe, on the fourth and fifth segments spreading out over most of the surface, leaving only the angles broadly ochreous; vestiture of short yellowish white hairs, anteriorly confined to the margins, on third and fourth seg- ments tending to form interrupted posterior bands, on the fifth covering nearly the entire, segment; venter ocher-yellow spotted with piceous. Legs stout, piceous black including the coxae, the knees narrowly ferru- ginous ; tibae densely clothed with appressed pile with yellowish white silky luster; tarsi ventrally with bright ferruginous cushions ; pulvilli dull ferruginous; claws large and black. Wings broad, tinted with smoky gray, the veins brown; posterior angles of first posterior and discal cells roundedly produced, the former with distinct appendices, the latter with mere trace of stump; middle of first posterior cell with the usual spur from third vein. Halteres pale yellow. Length: Body about 9 mm., wings 7 mm. Willis, Texas, one female (J. C. Bridwell). Type: Cat. no. 21,417, U. S. Nat. Mus. This species is closely related to Microdon falcat.us Will, from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It differs in the much larger size, wholly black head, very different proportion of the antennal joints, as well as in many minor details. In falcatus the third antennal joint is nearly twice as long as the first, the scutellar spines are obsolete and the body vestiture is black. Microdon remotus, new species. Male. — Head short, broader than the thorax, piceous black, stained with dull yellow-brown about the mouth, along the sides of the face and upward to transverse suture, also on occiput ; frons short, slightly over one-third the width of the head, with distinct transverse suture ; ocelli on a distinct callosity; vestiture dirty gray on the occiput, before transverse suture yellowish white. Face moderately prominent, parallel-sided, clothed with dense pile with yellow-white silky luster. Eyes bare. Antennae with the first and second joints ferruginous yellow, the third greatly elongated, dull black, its base and the arista ferruginous yellow ; first and second joints of normal structure, the first about as long as Knob — On Some North American Species of Microdon. 143 longitudinal diameter of head ; third joint over one-and-a-half times the length of the first, nearly parallel-sided, slightly compressed, the end bluntly rounded off, the surface clothed with very fine and dense pubes- cence ; arista consisting of a ferruginous yellow thickened portion which is stoutest at its middle and about half the length of the third joint, and a fine white bristle about two-thirds the length of proximal portion. Mesonotum piceous, shading to dark reddish brown at the sides; vestiture rather long, moderately dense, of pale yellow hairs. Scutellum con- colorous with mesonotum, rather prominent, depressed distally, at tip truncate and with thickened margin, unarmed ; vestiture of rather dense and long yellow-brown hairs. Postnotum black, shining. Pleurae piceous, shining, brownish yellow at the sutures, with a few patches of yellow hair. Abdomen elongate-ovate, broadest at apex of second segment, then tapering gently to the broadly rounded tip; integument dull brownish black stained with brown, an ill-defined median stripe visible on third and fourth segments; vestiture of rather dense, long fine hairs with pale yellow silky luster, nearly evenly distributed but visible only in some lights and therefore giving the appearance of large bare areas. Legs rather stout, the coxse and femora yellowish brown, the latter broadly yellow at the apices ; tibiae deep ocher-yellow, with a narrow brown ring at middle ; tarsi ferruginous yellow ; vestiture of rather dense yellow shining hairs, the tarsi ventrally with cushions of golden pile. Pulvilli ocher-yellow. Claws black on distal half. Wings broad, the integument smoky and distinctly hairy, extreme base brown, some brown cloudings in the costal region and on the cross-veins ; first posterior and discal cells with the posterior angles blunt and somewhat produced, each with a dis- tinct spur, the usual spur projecting from third vein into middle of first posterior cell. Tegulse and halteres ocher-yellow. Length: Body about 8 mm., wing 6 mm. Baracoa, Cuba, September, 1901, one male (A. Busck). Type: Cat. no. 21,418, U. S. Nat. Mus. The specimen just described appears to enter very well into the genus Ceratophya as originally defined by Wiedemann, in the light of our present knowledge the genus seems hardly tenable; it connects with typical Microdon through species having the different characters variously developed and modified, so that no line can be drawn between them. Vol. 30, pp. 145-146 July 27, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON NEW GENERA OF DEEP-WATER GURNARDS (PERI- STEDIIDAE) FROM THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. BY HUGH M. SMITH. The Philippine collections of the "Albatross " are very rich in peristedioid fishes as regards both individuals and species. The most interesting specimens are those representing two hitherto undescribed genera which necessitate a modification of the definition of the Peristediidae. The new genera have been named Gargariscus and Hemi= nodus, and their outstanding differential character is that the upper jaw is toothed, whereas Peristedion is edentulate in both jaws. The following key shows the relationships of the three genera: A. Both jaws toothless Peristedion. AA. Only lower jaw toothless. b. Cephalic shield much expanded, flattened, the margin cre- nate; rostral processes long and flat; barbels very highly developed; mouth moderate; teeth on premaxillaries in a broad band extending half distance to angle of mouth Gargariscus. bb. Cephalic shield little expanded, the margin entire ; rostral processes short and spine-like, not flattened ; barbels short and few; mouth very large; teeth on pre- maxillaries in a broad band extending to angle of mouth Heminodus. Gargariscus, new genus. Similar to Peristedion in general appearance, but with cephalic shield more expanded and its edge deeply crenated ; premaxillaries bearing a broad band of fine teeth extending from symphysis half way to angle of mouth. 34— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 30. 1917. (145) 146 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Type of the genus. — The genus contains only one known species, Gar= gariscus semidentatus, new species. Type of the species.— The type is 22.7 cm. long, from a depth of 169 fathoms in the Mindanao Sea, on a bottom of globigerina ooze ("Alba- tross" station 5517). U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 78,249. The collection contains 12 examples obtained from dredging stations between northern Mindanao and Verde Island Passage, in depths of 118 to 805 fathoms. The specimens range from (3.5 to 25.0 cm. in length. Heminodus, new genus. The differential characters are shown in the above key. Type of the genus. — The genus contains a single known species, Hemi= nodus philippinus, new species. Type of the species. — The type is 16.8 cm. long, from the Mindanao Sea off Tawi-tawi ("Albatross" station 5517). U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 78,250. The collection contains two other specimens from two other stations in the same region, the deepest dredge haul being in 277 fathoms. Vol. 30, pp. 147-148 July 27, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON TWO NEW POCKET MICE FROM WYOMING, BY E. A. GOLDMAN. In determining the status of pocket mice obtained in the course of biological investigations in Wyoming, two undescribed subspecies have been detected. One of these is a pallid repre- sentative of Perognathus parvus ; the other a large, light-colored form of Perognathus flavus, by whose discovery in the State the known range of the species is materially extended northward. They are characterized as follows : Perognathus parvus clarus, subsp. nov. Type from Cumberland, Wyoming. No. 178,939, v i>! CO oscct^cot^t^osoii^t^cot^cot^cot^t^ S§1 -m o 1-H I— 1 1— 1 rH 1— It- iHHr 1 1— ( 1— 1 i-H 1— 1 1— 1 1— 1 1— IHHH 3 O >0> OOOiOiOOOOOiOOiOiOOOOO CO u "^ CO ■HHCO(McocoTrco,*Tj'+,ioiccDt^-t^eocDic-*»co-* 1-H I-H t-Ht-Hi-Ht-Ht-Ht-Hi-Ht-Ht— 1 i-H t— 1 1-H r- 'i-Ht-Hi-Ht-H OiO OOOIOICOOOOOOOOOOOO S rj5 O ■H-tcoX'.OHNlOHrH05«ONNN0500 e3 CXI CO COCOCOnnnhnnnnnnn O i— 1 i-Ht-Hi— I1-H1— it-Hi-Hi-H05i— 11— '— 1— IrHrHj— li— 1 CO OS 005005001050000500500500505 i-H i-H 1-Hi-HrHl— li— I1-H1-H1— (1-H1— (i— (1— I1-H1-H1-H1— 11— 1 2 cr\ ~ ** HHNffiffiOeO-fM rrTt^ t^ OS O Ol -h ,d •J- ^* 02 5 4c ^ ii^^^'^ij:^ . ^3 pC pd ^3 j£ 43 ^5 rr1 ^ 2 CO CO CD X (K 00 OJ * xxxxxxx o ■^h OD gj ^"""Tt*^^- rt rx 73 7t s 73 ri 3 -h oj <*- . c c c c c a a s-2> a c c c c e c ■ OS o3 3 — x:^a)0)a>cpa)a)cD-T;I>aj4)a)a3'U4)cD — kOoOUOOUu^ OOOOOOO 42" 0 r- rsKjiaiajnJBn air\_rm ffl m m m w in ™Oj)«jj)»ajD 0O73 a) a> 35 35 ^^oqoooooqj §0000000 S.O S •" f ■4-. 9 s- . 73 O 22oo3o3o3aJc3o3oJo3iXir'H1c4c3o5o3c3c3e« CD oo •b"b 'b'b'c><>ot-oca-ooo 10 -t->*S-lJ 3 03 53 tfPH^pHpH^^^^^WPHtftfP-Mtf W« g fefe tin" En' * Pn' Pm fe Pih' pn DQ «J pq P«i fe Pm" Pk' Pn Pn GO QQ odcQfecziaJcoaJcCr^r^rococoaico'ccGC Vol. 30, pp. 189-198 December 1, 1917 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON GENERA OF THE DIPTEROUS TRIBE SARCOPHAGINI. BY CHARLES H. T. TOWNSEND. The Sarcophaga type is most nearly related on the one hand with the Muscidae (Calliphoridae) and on the other hand with the Miltogramma and Metopia types. Through the Muscidae it is next related with the Stomoxydidae (Muscinae auct.) and through the Miltogramma type with the Calirrhoidae (Dexiinae auct.) and the Dexiidae (Pseudodexiidae BB). Brachicoma, Amobia and Tephromyia are types of tribes which belong in the family with Sarcophaga, and it is probably taxonomically expe- dient to include the Miltogramma and Metopia types in the same family. Sarcophaga has long functioned as a catch-all generic name. As such, it means little. A genus can not be conceded by elimination, but must be recognized by definition. Sarcophaga has thus grown to be a taxonomic complex which demands un- tangling. The genitalic method of distinguishing the species has worked well in Europe, where the forms have been under observation long enough to link both sexes in most cases. In attacking the mass of comparatively unknown species in Amer- ica, however, the task of separating them is better begun at the female end. Gravid females, captured in the open, will furnish larvae for the study of the three stages and rearing to the adults of both sexes. At one stroke this plan yields characters of all stages and both sexes. Study of the total characters for the species shows natural groups of species in this tangled mass of unlike forms. The real problem which confronts us in the Sarcophaga com- plex is the elucidation of species groups or genera. It is first 46— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.. Vol. 30. 1917. (189) 190 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. all-important to know what species belong together. When these groups are properly segregated, the species can be studied to advantage. The elucidation of the genera carries with it a knowledge of both sexes of the component species, which is the necessary antecedent to the male genitalic separation of the forms. In the light of such study it is found that the complex has lodged many forms which can not be admitted to the tribe Sarcophagini. Genera of Sarcophagini. Males. Abdomen absolutely devoid of pollinose covering, polished and shining Peckia RD. Abdomen always with more or less pollinose covering, not wholly shining 2 2 — One pair of proclinate fronto-orbitals 3 No proclinate fronto-orbitals 4 3 — Parafacialia with at most a single row of fine hairs . Sarcophagula Wp . Parafacialia with two or more irregular rows of fine hairs . . Sarothromyia BB . 4 — All tibiae long-villous 5 None of tibiae long-villous 6 At least the hind tibiae long-villous, either thickly or thinly, but the front ones not 25 5 — First vein bare Paraphrissopoda T. First vein bristled about half way . . . . Tulaeopoda, gen. nov. 6 — First vein bristled about half way 7 First vein bare 12 7 — Frontals not divergent, stopping practically at base of antennae 8 Frontals diverging at least one bristle below base of antennae 10 8 — No median marginal macrochaetae on segment III Andinoravinia, gen. nov. Median marginals present on segment III 9 9 — Parafacialia as broad as clypeus Argoravinia, gen. nov. Parafacialia not as broad as clypeus . . . Chaetoravinia, gen. nov. 10 — Strong, long, erect median marginals on segment II ( patch of thickly-placed hairs on edge of scutellum on each side in genotype) Titanogrypa T. No median marginals on segment II 11 11 — Outer vertical developed Sarcodexiopsis, gen. nov. Outer vertical not sufficiently developed to contrast with occipito-orbital fringe Helicobia Coq. 12 — Frontals stopping practically at base of antennae, not diver- gent except as they follow frontalia 13 Frontals diverging at least one bristle below base of antennae 17 Townsend — Genera of the Dipterous Tribe Sarcophagini. 191 13 — Frontalia much narrowed posteriorly Agria RD. Frontalia not or but very slightly narrowed posteriorly ... 14 14 — Vertex as wide as eye : . . . Miltoravinia, gen. nov. Vertex at most scarcely over two-thirds as wide as eye . 15 15 — Postsuturals three Ravinia RD. Postsuturals four 16 16 — Median marginals absent or vestigial on segment III .... Punasarcophaga T. Median marginals present on segment III . Euravinia, gen. nov. 17 — Postsuturals three . . 18 Postsuturals four, the front two more or less reduced ... 19 18 — Fifth sternite swollen and projected in profile like a button Hypopelta Aid. Fifth sternite normal Fletcherimyia, gen. nov. 19 — Outer verticals well developed ; forceps minute (hind femora and tibiae normally specialized for grasping the female in the genotype) ThelylepticocnemaT. Outer verticals not well differentiated from occipito-orbital fringe 20 20 — Preacrostichals well developed, strong .... Kellymyia, gen. nov. Preacrostichals not well developed, at most very small or vestigial 21 21 — Frontalia not narrowed posteriorly 22 Frontalia more or less narrowed posteriorly 23 22 — Strong median marginals on segment III . . . Peltopyga, gen. nov. No median marginals on segment III Spirobolomyia T. 23 — Cheeks over two-fifths of eye-length . . Trixosarcophaga, gen. nov. Cheeks not over one-fourth of eye-length 24 24 — Hypopygium small ; forceps elongate and tapering . . Sarcodexia T. Hypopygium rather large; forceps shortened and broadened apically, usually with a dorsal preapical spur Oxy sarcodexia, gen. nov. 25— Preacrostichals present, well developed 26 Preacrostichals not well developed, at most very weak, small or vestigial 30 26 — Frontals not divergent, stopping close to base of antennae . Sarothromyiops, gen. nov. Frontals diverging at least one bristle below base of antennae 27 27 — Hypopygium wide, flattened, boxlike, the second segment very elongate ; forceps very short . . . Zygastropyga, gen. nov. Hypopygium not flattened and boxlike, the second segment not unusually long 28 28 — Strong erect median marginals on segment II ... Mulsantia RD. No median marginals on segment II 29 29 — Facio-orbital row including 3 to 5 strong bristles below ; ver- tex about one-half eye; cheeks about one-third eye-length, paraf acialia about one-half width of clypeus ; long strong macrochaetae in median longitudinal row on outside of hind femora Boettcheria Pkr. 192 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Facio-orbital row consisting of a bristle or two without hairs above ; vertex but little over one-fourth eye-width ; cheeks about one-fourth eye-length; parafacialia not one-third width of clypeus ; at most a few median macrochaetae dis- tally on hind femora exteriorly .... Parasarcodexia, gen. nov. 30 — Postsuturals three . 31 Postsuturals two, with or without two more or less developed additional ones in front 33 31 — Strong median marginals on segment II (the front side of middle femora with a patch of yellow hairs distally in the genotype) Sarcotachinella T . No median marginals on segment II 32 32 — Outer verticals developed, strong Bellieria RD. Outer verticals not developed ...... Bercaeopsis, gen. nov. 33 — Parafacialia broader than clypeus; no facio-orbital row to be distinguished from the other hairs Wohlfahrliopsis T. Parafacialia not as wide as clypeus 34 34 — Facio-orbital row including several strong bristles below . . 35 Facio-orbital row consisting only of hairs at the most ... 36 35 — Vibrissal axis nearly equalling head-height; epistoma well projected beyond vibrissae ; facialia bristled about half- way at most; cheeks over one-half eye-length . Sarcophaga Mg. Vibrissal axis not over three-fourths of head-height; epistoma only slightly projected ; facialia normally bristled well over half-way; cheeks little over two-fifths eye-length .... Sarraceniomyia, gen. nov. 36 — Vertex about two-thirds as wide as eye Bercaea RD. Vertex at most but little exceeding one-half eye-width ... 37 37 — Outer vertical strong Prosthetocirca, gen. nov. Outer vertical not developed, vestigial . . Gigantotheca, gen. nov. Females. Abdomen wholly shining and without pollen Peckia RD. Abdomen more or less pollinose 2 2 — Only one pair of proclinate fronto-orbitals 3 Two or more pairs of proclinate fronto-orbitals 4 3 — First hypopygial tergite retractile Sarcophagula Wp. First hypopygial tergite modified into a non-retractile perma- nent fifth visible segment of the abdomen Prosthetocirca, gen. nov. 4 — No reclinate fronto-orbitals, usually three proclinates . . Agria RD. At least one reclinate fronto-orbital always present, procli- nates two 5 5 — First vein bristled about half way 6 First vein bare 12 6 — Strong, long and erect median marginals on segment II (sides of scutellum with thick patches of hairs on edge be- tween lateral bristles in genotype) Titanogrypa T. Median marginals absent, vestigial or weak on segment II . 7 Townsend — Genera of the Dipterous Tribe Sarcophagini. 193 7 — Frontals not divergent, stopping practically at base of antennae 8 Frontals diverging at least one bristle below base of antennae 10 8 — First hypopygial tergite incised on median line posteriorly, the hind edge of segment forming a wide vertical slit bor- dered with partly decussate bristles; parafacialia rather broader than clypeus Argoravinia, gen. nov. First hypopygial tergite entire, not forming a vertical slit, parafacialia not as broad as clypeus 9 9 — Vibrissal axis not over two-thirds of head-height Chaetoravinia, gen. nov. Vibrissal axis fully three-fourths of head-height Andinoravinia, gen. nov. 10 — Vibrissal axis only a little shorter than head-height Tulaeopoda, gen. nov. Vibrissal axis about or but little over two-thirds of head-height 11 11 — Two reclinate fronto-orbitals Helicobia Coq. Only one reclinate fronto-orbital .... Sarcodexiopsis, gen. nov. 12 — Postsuturals three 13 Postsuturals two or four 20 13 — Frontals not divergent, stopping practically at base of antennae 14 Frontals diverging at least one or two bristles below base of antennae 15 14 — Costal spine strong Sarothromyia BB. Costal spine absent Ravinia RD. 15 — First hypopygial tergite excised or scooped out on disk ... 16 First hypopygial tergite not excised or scooped out on disk . 17 16 — Strong median marginals on segment II (yellow hair patch on outside of middle femora distally in genotype) Sarcotachinella T. No median marginals on segment II Bellieria RD. 17 — Two reclinate fronto-orbitals; costal spine strong, longer than small crossvein Hypopelta Aid. Only one reclinate fronto-orbital; costal spine weak, short or vestigial, not as long as small crossvein 18 18 — First hypopygial tergite incised on median line posteriorly, the hind edge of segment forming a vertical slit bordered with partly decussate bristles Bercaeopsis, gen. nov. First hypopygial tergite entire 19 19 — Facio-orbitals consisting of row of fine hairs ; lateral scutel- lars two; median longitudinal row of macrochaetae on outside of hind femora reduced to small bristles on basal half Fletcherimyia, gen. nov. Facio-orbital row including several strong bristles below ; lateral scutellars three ; normally a median longitudinal row of long strong macrochaetae on outside of hind femora for most of its length Boettcheria Park. 20 — Preacrostichals present, well developed 21 Preacrostichals absent or vestigial, not well developed ... 24 194 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 21 — Frontals not diverging, stopping practically at base of antennae 22 Frontals diverging at least one bristle below base of antennae 23 22— Cheeks well over one-half eye-length in breadth . . Miltoravinia, gen. nov. Cheeks less than one-half eye-length in breadth Euravinla, gen. nov. 23 — First hypopygial tergite entire, the disk with a double im- pression as though scooped out on each side of median line in a subtransverse oval Kellymyia, gen. nov. First hypopygial tergite incised on median line posteriorly, without discal excavation or impression Zygastropyga, gen. nov. 24 — First hypopygial tergite entire, neither incised nor excised . 25 First hypypygial tergite either incised or excised 30 25 — Facio-orbital row including coarse strong hairs or weak bris- tles below, contrasted with the hairs in line above them . . Spirobolomyia T. Facio-orbital row consisting entirely of short or weak hairs, or vestigial 26 26 — First hypopygial tergite transversely dished like a wide shal- low groove 27 First hypopygial tergite not dished 28 27 — Theca immensely broad as well as elongate, nearly as broad basally as long; palpi greatly swollen apically Gigantotheca, gen, nov. Theca not unusually broad; palpi normal . . Umbelusia, gen. nov. 28 — Strong median marginals on segment III; first hypopygial tergite shield-like, broad, with disk directed posteriorly . . Peltopyga, gen. nov. Median marginals absent or vestigial on segment III ... . 29 29— Parafacialia about or nearly as wide as clypeus ; first hypo- pygial tergite strongly crescentic in outline, not flattened Trixosarcophaga, gen. nov. Parafacialia only a little over half as wide as clypeus ; first hypopygial tergite more or less flattened and concealed . Oxysarcodexia, gen. nov. 30— Parafacialia broader than clypeus Wohlfahrtiopsis T. Parafacialia not as wide as clypeus 31 31 — Arista long-plumose nearly or practically to tip ; or, if some- times short of tip, the eyes large and cheeks scarcely ex- ceeding at most one-fourth eye-length in breadth .... 32 Arista plumose not over three-fourths way, the cheeks fully or over one-third eye-length 33 32 — Frontalia broader than parafrontalia in middle; cheeks nearly one-half eye-length in width ; first hypopygial ter- gite showing posteriorly a vertical slit bordered with partly decussate spines, its disk broadly scooped out . Paraphrissopoda T. Frontalia scarcely as wide as parafrontalia in middle; cheeks about one-fourth eye-length ; first hypopygial tergite folded but not slit on median line • Sarcodexia -T. Townsend — Genera of the Dipterous Tribe Sarcophagini. 195 33 — Facio-orbital row consisting only of hairs Bercaea RD. Facio-orbital row including three to five strong bristles below 34 34 — Vibrissal axis nearly equal to head-height; epistoma well projected beyond vibrissae ; cheeks over one-half eye-length ; parafacialia only a little narrower than clypeus . Sarcophaga Mg. Vibrissal axis not over three-fourths of head-height; epistoma but little projected ; cheeks only about one-third of eye- length ; parafacialia at most little over half width of clypeus Sarraceniomyia, gen. now Genotypes of the New Genera. Andinoravinia, A. rufipes, n. sp. Argoravinia, Sarcophaga argentea T., Proc. U. S. N. M., vol. 43, 358 (1912). Bercaeopsis, Sarcophaga tetra Aid., Sarc. & Allies, 89 (1916). Chaetoravinia, Helicobia quadrisetosa Coq., Ent. News, XII, 17 (1901). Euravinia, Ravinia communis Park., Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H., vol. 35, 55 (1914). Fletcherimyia, Sarcophaga fletcheri Aid., Sarc. & Allies, 96 (1916). Gigantotheca, G. galapagensis, n. sp. Kelly my ia, Sarcophaga kellyi Aid., Jn. Ag. Res., II, 443. Miltoravinia, Sarcophaga planifrons Aid., Sarc. & Allies, 249 (1916). Oxysarcodexia, Sarcophaga peltata Aid., Sarc. & Allies, 216 (1916). Parasarcodexia, Sarcophaga parkeri Aid., Sarc. & Allies, 78 (1916). Peltopyga, Sarcophaga celarata Aid.. Sarc. & Allies, 242 (1916). Prosthetocirca, P. cana, n. sp. Sarcodexiopsis, Sarcophaga biseriata Aid., Sarc. & Allies, 153 (1916). Sarothromyiops, S. cinctus, n. sp. Sarraceniomyia, Sarcophaga sarraceniae Riley, Tr. Ac. Sc. St. L. , III, 238. Trixosarcophaga, Sarcophaga aurigena T., Proc. U. S. N. M., vol. 43, 357-8 (1912). Tulaeopoda, Sarcophaga pervillosa Aid., Sarc. & Allies, 92 (1916). Umbelusia, U. analis, n. sp. Zygastropyga, Z. aurea, n. sp. Descriptions of the New Species. Zygastropyga aurea, new species. Length of body, 8 to 9 mm. ; of wing, 6.75 to 7 mm. One male and one female. Tempe, Arizona; Webster, No. 11,942 (V. L. Wildermuth). The female bears label "Allotype No. 20,550 U. S. N. M.," referred to by Aldrich as single female of S. sulculata Aid. from Kansas (Sarc. & Allies, 225). Holotype, No. 21,574 U. S. N. M., male. Differs from sulculata Aid. by the broader abdomen ; broader male hypopygium, the deeper median fossa of second hypopygial segment; the distinctly golden pollen of head, and the brassy shade to pollen of rest of body. 196 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Andinoravinia rufipes, new species. Length of body, 8 to 9 mm.; of wing, 7.5 to 8 mm. One female, Huariaca, canyon of the Rio Huallaga, Peru, 10,750 ft., December 20, 1913 (Townsend). One male and one female, Matucana, Peru, 8,000 ft., May 1, 1914 (Townsend). Holotype, No. 21,575 U. S. N. M., being the female from Huariaca. Blackish ; rather densely clothed with old-gold pollen, except the tarsi, head appendages, frontalia and abdominal marmoration. Legs rufous, except the black tarsi. Frontalia black, parafrontals blackish poster- iorly. Antennae blackish, first two joints rufous. Palpi rufous-yellow. Thoracic vittae brown, changing to brownish-gold when their pollinose covering is viewed from the front. Marmorate markings of abdomen black, in form of broken narrow median vitta and oblique curved marks on each side. Hypopygium rufous. Tegulae whitish-tawny, faintly yellowish infuscate. In the male the median abdominal vitta is entire. Prosthetocirca cana, new species. Length of body, 5 to 8.5 mm.; of wing, 4 to 7 mm. One male and one female, Narborough Is., Galapagos, January 13 and 26, 1899; two males and two females, Albemarle Is., Galapagos, January 1 to 18, 1899. Holo- type, No. 21,576 U. S. N. M., female from Narborough Is. Allotype, male from Albemarle Is. Blackish, densely ash-silvery pollinose. Frontalia and thoracic vittae black to brown. Antennae blackish. Palpi rufous, shaded with black. Hind edge of abdominal segments black, rather shining; in the male the black shows a median vitta, and a linking of the lateral markings on last two segments. Hypopygium black. Tegulae rather infuscate, the front scale whitish. Gigantotheca galapagensis, new species. Length of body, 6.5 to 9.5 mm. ; of wing, 5.5 to 8.5 mm. Two males and two females, Albemarle Is., Galapagos, January 18, 1899. Holotype, No. 21,577 U. S. N. M. ; female. Coloring very similar in general effect to the preceding species, differing as follows: Palpi black, the extreme base rufous. Hypopygium rufous. Tegulae white. The lateral abdominal markings are more distinctly linked up into lateral vittae of irregular outline, the curved links espe- cially definite in male. Sarothromyiops cinctus, new species. Length of body, 10 mm. ; of wing, 8.5 mm. One male, Culpepper Is., Galapagos, December 10, 1898. Holotype, No. 21,578 U. S. N. M. Black; densely silvery pollinose, the pollen with less of an ashy shade. Palpi faintly rufous. Antennae and frontalia blackish. Thoracic vittae black to brown. Hind margins of abdominal segments and narrow Townsend — Genera of the Dipterous Tribe Sarcophagini. 197 median vitta black, brown pollinose. Hypopygium black, silvery polli- nose, tawny at base of forceps and in middle of hind margin of first segment. No linking of marginal black into lateral abdominal vitta, but a faint darker shade shows laterally under the thick silvery pollen. Tegulae white. I can identify none of the above Galapagos forms with Sarcophaga inoa Walker, List IV, 832. Umbelusia analis, new species. Length of body, 10.5 mm. ; of wing, 9 mm. One female, Umbelusi, East Africa, "5. 3. 09" (C. W. Howard). Holotype. No. 21,579 U. S. N. M. Black, including antennae, palpi, frontalia, vittae, abdominal mark- ings, and legs. Hypopygium reddish-yellow. Pollen silvery-ashy. Be- sides the abdominal marmorations, deep black shows in narrow median vitta and in heavy broken lateral vittae. Parafrontals blackish poster- iorly. Parafacials transversely corrugated. Tegulae white. >f\fcVfc4>\ INDEX New names are printed in heavy type. Acanthaster brevispinus 92 Achirus fasciatus 42 Acipenser sturio 36 Acridiophaga 4g Agria . . . . - • 191, 192 Allen, G. M. Two Undescribed West Indian Bats 165-170 Alosa sapidissima 40 Alsophis anegadae 102 antillensis 101 Ameiurus catus 36 nebulosus 36 Ameiva exul 99 Ames, H.E. Flight of Tagged Ducks . . xi Ammodramus borinquensis 95, Amygdalus alba 17 ' camelliaefiora 17 campestris 17 cochin-chinensis 17 dehiscens 17 densa 17 niira 17 mongolica 17 petzoldii 18 platycarpa . . 17 potanini 17 rubra 17 sweginzowii 18 triloba 18 Andinoravinia rufipes .... 190, 193, 196 Anguilla rostrata 39 Anolis cristatellus 99 pulchellus 99 stratulus 99 Apeltes quadracus 40 Aphelinus lapisligni 77 Argoravinia 190, 193 Asterina euerces 91 Attila caniceps 4 neoxenus 4 Automate kingsleyi 72 B Bailey, V. How the Pine Squirrels help to Feed the Bears of the Yellow- stone Park xiii A New Subspecies of Meadow Mouse from Wyoming 29-30 Baird, G. W. An Unusual Human Specimen xiii Barbour, T. Notes on the Herpetology of the Virgin Islands 97-104 A New Antillean Sphaerodac- tylus 163, 164 Bartsch, P. Changes in the Avifauna about Burlington. Iowa: 1885tol918 x Additions to the Haitian Avi- fauna 131-132 Bellieria 192, 193 Bercaea 192, 195 Bercaeopsis 192,193 Birdseye, C. Remarks on Waste of Seal Meat by Sealers on the Northeast Coast of America xiii The Fur Industry of Labrador . xiii Boettcheria 191, 193 Bolesoma olmstedi 41 Brachyule 52 Brevoortia tyrannus 40 Brimley, C. S. The two Forms of Red Spelerpes Occurring at Raleigh, N. C 87-88 Brotogeris exsul 129 Buboelutus 6 Bufo turpis 102 Bulimulus apurimacensis 10 cinerarius 10 rugatinus 10 saeronius 9 trogonius 10 Bunaster lithodes 91 Callospermophilus caryl 105 Canavalia campy locarpa 175 luzonica 177 microcarpa 176 obtusifolia 176 Carpiodes cyprinus 36 Catostomus commersonii 36 Celeus innotatus 5 Cerathyla panamensis 31 Cerchneis araea 76 deserticola 76 eremica . . 76 gracilis 75 Chaetoravinia 190, 193 Chaetura pelagica . . 132 Cheiraster diomedeae 90 Chialule 52 Chilonycteris pusillus 168 Chloephaga leucoptera 75 magellanica 75 Cistudinomyia 48 Clark, A. H. A New Starfish from the Magellanic Region 7-8 Two New Ophiurans from the China Sea 13-16 Four New Echinoderms from the West Indies ... 63-70 Three New Starfish and One New Brittle-Star from Chile . . . 151-158 Two New Astroradiate Echino- derms from the Pacific coast of Colombia, and Ecuador . . .171-174 Cockerell, T. D. A. A Fossil Tsetse Fly and Other Diptera from Florissant, Colorado 19-22 Descriptions of Fossil Insects . 79-82 47— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 30, 1917 (199) 200 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington . Copeland, M., and Pope, A. S. Notes on Maine Mammals 159-160 Coragyps urubu 123 Coralliocaris wilsoni 71 Coronaster 23, 26 hallcepus 26 Coville, P. V. The Influence of Cold in Stimulating the Growth of Plants xii Ctenamphiura sinensis 15 Cyclura plnguis .... 100 Cyprinus carpio 37 Cystophora cristata 121 D Dall, W. H, New Bulimulus from the Galapagos Islands and Peru • • . 9-12 Dasyproeta nuchalis 113 richmondi 114 Dendroicaalbicollis 132 pensylvanica 132 Didelphis particeps 107 Diglossopis saturata 128 Dipsacaster imperialis 89 Distolasterias hypacantha 92 Dolichomyia tertiaria 20 Dorosoma cepedianum 39 Eleutherodactylus antillensis 102 Enneacanthus gloriosus 40 Ereunetes mauri 132 pusillus 122, 132 Erimyzon oblongus 36 Erophylla syops 167 Esox reticulatus 40 Buphoroceropsis alba 49, 50 Eupsychortyx decoratus 6 littoralis 6 Euravinia 191, 194 Butheresiops trixoides 48, 49 Exoglossum maxillingua 39 Fisher, W, K. The Asteroid Genus Coronaster 23, 26 New Starfishes from the Philip- pines and Celebes 89-94 Fletcherimyia 191, 193 Fundulus diaphanus 40 heteroclitus 40 Q Gallinago delicata 122 Gargariscus semidentatus .... 145, 146 Genentomum carri 81 Ciigantotheca galapagensis . . 192, 194, 196 Glaucosarcophaga 45 Glossina armatipes 19 Gnathophyllum modestum 72 Goldman , E . A . Hudsonian Chickadees in the vicinity of New York City and Boston ix New Mammals from North and Middle America 107-116 Two New Pocket Mice from Wy- oming 147-148 H Hadropterus sellaris 41 Harper, F. See Wetmore, A. Hay, O. P. Exhibition of Metacarpals of Horse and Cow • • ix On Supposed Pleistocene Human Remains at Vero, Florida xii Hay , W. P. Notes on Flying Squirrels . xi Exhibition of Lantern Slides of Young Flying Squirrels xii The Rate of Growth in Certain Lower Vertebrates xii Frogs Inhabiting Burrows of Testudo polyphemus xii Exhibition of Lantern Slides of Marine Turtles xiv Preliminary Descriptions of Five New Species of Crustaceans from the Coast of North Carolina . • • 71-74 Helicobia 190. 193 Heminodus philippinus 145, 146 Henricia arcystata 91 microplax 91 Hirundo erythrogaster 132 Hitchcock. A. S. Care of the Herbarium at the British Museum ix Botanizing in the Hawaiian Islands xii The Alpine Flora of the Adiron- dacks and the White Mountains . xiv Hollister, N. The Black Vulture in the District of Columbia and Maryland 123 Horizonetta 119 Howard, L.O. Some European Experi- ences with Entomologists ix On a Recent Anti-mosquito Con- vention in New Jersey x On the Parent Tree of a Fine Variety of Oranges x Remarks on a Manuscript Copy of a Book on Beetles xi Exhibition of a Cocoon of a Cecropia Moth Containing Moon- stones xi Insect Fauna of Burrows of Testudo polyphemus xii Centennial of Medical Society of the District of Columbia . . . . xiii Some Points for Consideration in a Discussion of the Problem of Acci- dental Introductions xiv Reference to Analyses of Certain War Bread . xiv A New Aphis-feeding Apheli- nus 77-78 Howell, A. H. Notes on American Fly- ing Squirrels xii Description of a New Race of Say's Ground Squirrel from Wyom- ing 105-106 Hybognathus nuchalis 37 Hylophylax subsimilis 129 Hypentelium nigricans 36 Hypopelta 191, 193 I Icterus carrikeri 4 Idiospiza 127 Iguana rhinolopha 101 lxobrychus exilis 132 J Jackson, H. H. T. A New Shrew from Nova Scotia 149-150 Jicaltepecia rafaela 49 K Kellymyia 191, 194 Knab, F. On Some North American Species of Microdon. [Diptera: Syrphidae.] 133-144 Index. 201 N Lepisosteus osseus 36 Lepomis auritus 41 gibbosus 41 Leptodactylus albilabris 103 Leuciscus vandoisulus 37 Lincoln, F. C. A Review of the Genus Pedioecetes in Colorado 83-86 Lithosoma penichra 90 Loriculus asiaticus 125 indicus 125 Luidia porter! 153 superba 171 Lyon, M. W., Jr. Smallwood's Compi- lation of the International Rules of Zoological Nomenclature x Precipitins xi On Several Cases of Hookworm Infestation . xiii Exhibition of Photograph of a Case of Congenital Absence of Kidney xiii The Relative Resistance of the Red Blood Corpuscles of the Sheep, Ox, and Hog xiv M Malacoptila striata 126 torquata 126 Marlatt, C. L. The Pink Bollworm of Cotton xiv Marmosa savannarum 108 Maxon, W. R. Notes on Western Spe- cies of Pellaea 179-184 McAtee, \V. L. Occurrence of the Cape May Warbler and Blue Gray Gnat- catcher at Washington in December ix Showers of Organic Matter . . . x Exhibition of Six Rare Bird Papers xiii McAtee, W. L., and Wetmore, A. White- winged Crossbills near Washington ix On Certain Misconceptions of Notes of Birds x A Theory of Migration of Birds . x Menidia beryllina 40 Metoposarcophaga 46 Microdon bombiformis 134, 137 coloradensis 134, 138 cothurnatus 134 fulgens 140 modestus 134, 139 piperi 134, 136 remotus 142 ruficrus 134, 135 rufipes 140 scutifer 141 senilis 133, 139 tristis 134, 135 Micropalama himantopus 122 Micropsitta chloroxantha 126 Micropterus dolomieu 41 salmoides 41 Microrhopias iliaca 5 Microsorex hoyi 160 Microtus caryi ... 29 Miller, G, S., Jr. A Hooded Seal in Florida 121 Miltoravinia 191, 194 Morone americana 42 Moxostoma macrolepidotum 37 Mulsantia 191 Myiobius suffusus 4 Myospiza meridanus 127 Myrmeciza palliate 129 Myzomela saf fordi 117 Nardoa tumulosa 90 Nasiterna pygmea 126 Nemaster Insolitus 65 Neocomatella ornata 63 Neosorex albibarbis 160 Neotoma lucida Ill Nettion leucophrys 75 torquatum 75 Notemigonus crysoleucas 37 Notropis amarus 38 amoenus 38 analostanus 38 bifrenatus 38 cornutus 38 procne 38 o Oberholser, H. C. Recent Additions to the List of North American Birds . ix Description of a New Sialia from Mexico 27-28 Mutanda Ornithologica.I . . 75-76 Description of a New Genus of Anatidae 119-120 Autumn Water-bird Records at Washington, D. C 122 Piranga rubra rubra in Colorado . 122 Mutanda Ornithologica. II . 125-126 Description of a New Subspecies of Perisoreus obscurus .... 185-188 Odinia magister 93 Odontaster propinquus 7 Officers for 1918 xv Ophiocnida cubana 69 Ophiocten squamosum 157 Ophiopteron alatum 13 Ophiosteira koehleri 173 Ostinops australis 3 melanterus 3 Oxycerca(?) contusa 20 Oxyechus vociferus 122 Oxysarcodexia 191,194 Paguristes armatus 73 Pagurus cokerl 73 Palaeocarria ornata 80 Palmer, T. S. A Pioneer Naturalist in Southern Florida — Extracts from the Diary of Titian R. Peale, 1825 . x Recent Bird Roosts near Wash- ington, D.C ■ . . . xii A Key to Ornithological Litera- ture xiii ■ Centennial of the First Botanical Society in Washington, D. C . . . xiii Notice of Recent Meeting of American Ornithologists' Union . xiv The Author of Brisson's 1762 Edition of Regnum Animale . . . xiv Palmer, W. The Fossil Seacow of Maryland ix On the Recent Freeze in Florida . x Porpoises and Steamers xi Comments on Certain Bird Papers xiii Exhibition of Sectioned Tym- panic Bone of a Whale xiii Paraphrissopoda 190, 194 Parasarcodexia 192 Pecari bangsi 109 Peckia 190, 192 Pectinaster robustus 155 Pedicellaster chlrophorus 93 202 Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. Pedioecetes jamesi 84 Pelidna pacifica 122 Pellaea compacta 183 longimucronata 182 mucronata 180 Wrightiana 181 Peltopyga 191, 191 Perca flavescens • ■ 41 Perisoreus rathbuni 185 Peristedion 145 Perodipus luteolus ... 112 Perognathus clarus . .147 piperl ... 148 Peroniyscus papagensis 110 Peters, J. L. The Porto Kican Grass- hopper Sparrow 95-96 Petromyzon marinus 35 Phseochroa notia 5 Phoenicothraupis rubiginosus .... 3 Pierce, W. D. The Extraordinary Strepsipterous Type of Parasitism . xi Piper, C. V. The Cowhage and Related Species . . 56-62 Notes on Canavalia with the De- scriptions of New Species . . . 175-178 Piranga rubra ■ • 122 Pisobia fuscicollis 122 maculata ... 122 rninutilla 122, 132 Plinthaster productus 67 Plutonaster sir! us 151 Podilymbus antillarum . . .... 132 Poecilurus atrigularls . . 129 Polytelis barrabandii 125 swainsonii 125 Poinolobus aestivalis 39 mediocris 39 pseudoharengus 39 Pope, A. S. See Copeland and Pope. Porzana hendersoni 131 Prosthetocirca cana 192, 196 Pseudopleuronectes americanus .... 42 Punasarcophaga 191 Pupilla rlebischi 10 Pyrrhura frontalis . 126 subandina 6 vittata 126 Q Quaintance. A. L. Some Notes on the Aleyrodidae xi Recently Introduced Fruit In- sects xiv R Radcliffe, L.. and Welsh, W. W. Notes on a Collection of Fishes from the Head of Chesapeake Bay .... 35-42 Rafaelia 45 Raimondia uruhuasi 47 Rallus adelus 76 intermedius 76 longirostris (subsp.) 132 Ranodon 124 olympicus 124 sibiricus 124 Ravinia 191, 193 Rhinichthys atronasus 38 Ricker, P. L. New Names in Amygda- lus 17-18 Roccus lineatus 42 S Sarcodexia 191, 194 Sarcodexiopsis 190, 193 Sarcophaga 192, 195 Sarcophagini ... 190 Sarcophagula 190, 192 Sarcotachinella 192, 193 Sarothromyia 190, 193 Sarothromyiops cinctus 191, 196 Sarraceniomyia 192, 195 Selaginella funiformis 161 Semotilus atromaculatus 37 corporalis 37 Shufeldt, R. W. Notes on Trunk Fishes x Exhibition of a Specimen of Lactoplirys tricornis x Zoological Statuary at the Na- tional Capital xi Exhibition of Lantern Slides of Living California Quail xi Exhibition of Specimen of " gopher," Testudo polypliemus . . xii Notes on Some United States Batrachians xiii Exhibition of Two Grasshop- pers xiii Sialia episcopus 27 Smith, H. M. Exploitation of Neglected Aquatic Resources x Exhibition of a Manuscript and Hand Illustrated Book on Beetles . xi Results of Fur Seal Census Taken in the Pribilofs in 1917 xiii New Genera of Deep-water Gur- nards (Peristediidae) from the Philippine Islands 145-146 Sorex umbrosus 149 Spatula clypeata • 122 Spaulding, P. Some Biological Aspects of the Spread of the White Pine Blister Rust xiv Spelerpes montanus 88 ruber 87 Sphaerodactylus elegantulus ... 163 macrolepis 98 Spirobolomyia 43, 191, 194 Sporathraupis hypophsea 128 Sporophila restricta 128 Squatarola cynosurae 122 Stejneger, L. A New Species of Horned Tree-toad from Panama .... 31-34 The Salamander Genus Ranodon in North America 123-124 Stiles, C. W. Haak as Author of Bris- son's 1762 Edition of Regnum Ani- mate xiv Stizolobium axillare 53 biflorum 60, 62 bracteatum 52 comorense ... 52 coriaceum 53 forbesii 61 hirsutum 62 maculatum 59 melanocarpum 53 microspermum 60 mollissimum 53 officinale 57, 62 poggei 53 pruriens . . 53, 62 prurituni 54 rhynchosoides 53 stans 53 sericophyllum 52 venulosum 60 Stringham, E. The Shad and its Rela- tives in the Mississippi River . . . xi Sturnira parvidens 116 Synaptomys fatuus 159 Index. 203 Tachyphonus panamensis 128 Tarsaster distlchopus 92 Taylor, H. F. A Mortality of Fishes on the West Coast of Florida ... x Taylor. W. P. Notes on Aplodontia . xi Exhibition of Marmots, with Remarks on their Distribution . . xiv Thelylepticocnema 43, 191 Thlypopsis intensa . . 128 Titanogrypa 44, 190, 192 Todd, W. E. C. Preliminary diagnoses of Apparently new Birds from Colombia and Bolivia . ..... 3-6 New Genera, Species, and Sub- species of South American Birds 127-130 Totanus flavipes 122, 132 melanoleucus 122, 132 Townsend, C. H. T. New Genera and Species of American Muscoid Dip- tera 43-50 Genera of the Dipterous Tribe Sarcophagini 189-198 Triclaria cyanogastris 126 malachitacea 126 Trigonalys pervetus 79 Tringa solitaria 122 Trlxosarcophaga 191, 194 Tulaeopoda 190, 193 Tylosurus marinus 40 U Umbelusia analis 194, 197 Urodynamis pheletes 1 V Vampyrus nelsoni 115 Van Eseltine, G. P. Selaginella funi- formis, a new Species in the S. rupestris Group 161-162 w Welsh, W. W. See Radcliffe and Welsh. Wetmore, A. Blue Jays Inserting Acorns and Corn in Cocoons . . . xi Discussion of Peculiar Molting in Ducks xiv Note on Red Bats seen in No- vember xiv A new Cuckoo from New Zea- land 1-2 A New Honey-Eater from the Marianne Islands 117-118 Wetmore, A. See McAtee, W.L. Wetmore, A., and Harper, F. A Note on the Hibernation of the Mud Turtle Xii Wilcox, T. E. Note on the Occurrence of the California Vulture in Idaho . xii Wohlfahi tiopsis 45, 192, 194 X Xiphocolaptes obscurus 5 obsoletus 5 rostratus 5 Zygastropyga aurea 191, 194, 195