Myzine Thoracica.

♀.—Clypeus strongly and closely punctured, carinated or angular down the middle; front with large, coarse punctures, which become sparser on the vertex and cheeks; the ocelli deeply pitted, the hind pair almost hidden; prothorax, mesopleauræ, dorsulum and scutellum with large, separated punctures, those on the dorsulum by far the largest and sparest; metathorax above and behind entirely smooth, the metapleuræ with oblique striations; legs, especially the tibiæ, coarsely punctured, the outer side of the medial and hind tibiæ covered with strong, shor bristles, and in addition with a row of stout, short spines on the outer edge, the medial and hind tarsi with long bristles and spines; anterior tarsi with the spines stout, the longest equalling the length of the first joint of that tarsus; wings flavo-hyaline, somewhat fuscous apically, the nervures testaceous; abdomen wiht a beautiful iridescent sheen dorsally, with fine rather close punctures, the first segment and base of the following three impunctate; on the apical portion of segments 1–3 the punctures are sparse and stronger, those on the fifth segment stronger; ventral segments on apical portion with large punctures or holes, which form on segments 1–4 a transverse row, which is produced or holes, which form on segments 1–4 a transverse row, which is produced foward into an angle medially; last dorsal segment with fine longitudinal striations.

With the expecitons of Mallophora ardens, Macq., and M. fulviventris, Macq., neither of which have been identified, the following table contains all the species belonging to this genus at present known to occur in America north of Mexico.

Vein la of primaries present; median 4-branched; vein 8 of secondaries arising from the subcostal, more than half the length of cell from base; ♂ antennæ pectinated to the tip.

Smynthurus spinatus, n. sp.

Olive. Head tinted with purple, lighter on the sides, olive around the mouth and eyes; coarsely and sparsely punctuate, punctures light olive, each bearing a white hair. Antennæ purplish, basal joint lighter, as long as the body; apical segment with from seventeen to twenty subsegments. Abdomen fuscous with lighter spots; the apical part with an olivaceus cloud, the remainder fuscous with whitish or olivaceous blotches; on the middle of the back a number of groups or circular white spots, and on the posterior part of each side a row of white spots, varying from four to ten.

This is one of the most common insects that flies throughout the summer months. It is also widely distributed; adults have been taken in widely separated parts of Europe, in Algeria, Caffaria, Bengal, Pondicherry, Brazil, and in the eastern and western parts of the United States. Packard writes of the species thus:-“Such cosmopolitan forms give rise to the suspicion that they are relics of a past geologic age, which is borne out by the fact that quite a gap separates it from its nearest allies.”

In my article in Canadian Entomologist, 1893, pp. 7–8, as also in my previous note in Science, Vol. XIX., 1882, p. 320, I stateed that Hyalt and Arms were the first to point out that the Diptera were the most highly specialized insects, and consequently to be considered the highest in rank. It should be noted, however, that the same idea was advanced at the same time by the renowned insect anatomist, Mr. B. T. Lowne, well known for his work on the anatomy, etc., of the blow-fly.

The next annual meeting of the Royal Society of Canada will be held in the City of Ottawa, on the 23rd, 24th and 25th of May. The Society will be represented by Mr. Hague Harrington, our Vice-President. We notice by the Programme that Mr. Harrington is to read a paper on Canadain Uroceridæ, a subject to which he has given much attention.