Article beginning on page 372.
Psyche 7:372, 1894.
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[April rKg6.
V. Lasks u@hidicoZa var. (?) strong colony of this ant was investi- Mr. Pergande expresses a doubt as to gated on August 4. The nest was the specific identification of this ant. made on the lower surface of a prostrate The nest was found in an old log, April
log-, between the bark and the wood.
13, and one specimen of Batrisus The guests were numerous Limulodes foveicornis Casey occurred as a zuest.
$wadoxusand four Thiasophila lati-
VI. Aphaenogaster fdva Rog. A collis Casey. It has always been assumed that flowers
attracted insects, in large measure at least, by the splendor of their inflorescence. Some recent experiments by Platean, recorded in the Bulletin of the Belgian Academy, throw doubt upon this assumption. In a consider- able bed of showy dahlias, Plateau concealed from sight the highly colored rays of some of the flowers exposing only the disk, and in a second series of experiments the disk also but independently, either by means ofcolored papers or by green leaves secured in place by pins. Butterflies and bees sought these flowers with Hie same avidity and apparently the same frequency as the fully exposed
flowers in the same patch, the bees particu- larly pushing their way beneath the obstacies to reach them, though not always with suc- cess. Plateau concludes that they are guided far more by their perception of odors than by their vision of bright and contrasted colors. In a second communication to the same
Academy, Plaleau gives the details of an- other set ofexperiments to determine whether a wide-meshed net presents my obstacle to the passage of a flying insect which, as far as room was concerned, could easily pass in flight through the interstices. He finds that while such net6 do not absolutely prevent passage on the wing, insects almost invaria- biy act before one they wish to pass as if they could not distinguish the aperture, ending by alighting on the mesh and
crawling through. He reasons that through the lack of distinct and sharp vision the threads OF the net produce the illusion of a continuous surface, as for us the hatchures of an engraving, seen at a distance.
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April 18961 SUPPLEMENT TO PSYCHE. 25
fifths of" the width between the ejes. Prono- tuin twice wider than long, length once and four-fifths that of the vertex, curvature one- half of the length, in front with the usual arcuate line. Hind margin of the last ven- tral segment with a broad deep emargiria- tion, the sides of which are strongly sinuate. Pygofers nearly equalling salves, outer
ipiciil margins slightly concave, and clothed with long slender hairs.
Color pale sordid yellowish, brightest on the head. dsu-kest on the pronoturn. Klvtra very slightly infuscated. Abdomen above, except miirgins of segments, yellowish, mar- gins of some of the basal ventral segments black. Legs with dark dots at bases of tibia1 spines.
Described from a single femiile taken at Las Cruces on Sisymhrium (Ckll., 2711).
This is the species mentioned on page loo of the Prelim. List. Heinip. Colo. It appears to be a Mss. name of Dr. IJtiler'b which \\as never published. It is a quite common 111- sect in various parts of Colorado, and will undoubtedly he found widely distributed in the west. This species could hardly be con- fused with T. cartels, which is larger, of a nuich brighter yellow, and has a much more produced vertex. It also differs in the form of the last ventral segment. Although a
good i'å´Itam~>otef;i otherwise, yet this species possesses but one antesipicdl cell in the ely- tra. Had this character been correlated
with the weak form in the definition of Limo- tettix, I should consider that genus founded on reasonable grounds. and this species a good representative of it
Athysanus acuminatus, TI. sp. -Rather
slender, general color pale fnlvous; elytra exceeding abdomen. Len@ male 4.75
mm.
Mule : Face little less than one-seventh wider than long. Clypeus once and two-
thirds longer than wide, gradually broaden- ing to the apex, where it is truncate,, sides lightly concave near the base, basal suture and as wide us the clypeus at base, superiorly acute. Cheeks broadly, evenly emarginate below the eyes, sides below the e~nargination slightly siniiate. moderately broad below the lorae, attaining the tip of the clypeus. An-
tennae with the six joints following the two basal very unusually robust mid distinct (thread-like portion of the flagellum wanting in this specimen). Front one-ninth longer than wide, edges slightly incurved at the antennae, below this straight to the clypeus. Vertex slightly convex, length at eyes fire- sevenths of length at middle, the latter three- fourths of the width between the eyes. Pro- notinn two and one-third times wider than long. length a fourth greater than that of the vertex, cui-vai.urc about three-sevenths of the length, hind margin straight. Elytra exceeding abdomen by sibout one millimeter, Lhe outer anteapical cell connected with the costal margin by two si.zpeniiimerarv cross- veins. Genitalia : Plate subangular posteri- orlj, son~ewhat produced at the apex. Valves long triangular, outer edges sinuate and tui-- nished with long fine hair; apices produced into long. slender acuminiite processes which form nearly one-third of the total length. Pygofers a third longci- than viilves, obtusely but nn-rrowly rounded at tips, furnished on apical half of discs with numerous strong bristles in two 01- three rows.
Color pale fulvous throughout; slight
indications of lighter concentric arcs on the front; indistinct ~nottlings on anterior borders of pronoturn sind vertex, the latter with a fine dark median line on posterior one-half. Elytra with one or two small
circular or oval white spots on the discs of each cell, these spots surrounded and connected by darker clouding most con-
spicuous in the apical cells; veins brown, dark towards the apex.
Described from one mate taken :it Las
Craves in September 1894 (Ckl!., 2383).
This species differs widely from any other North American snecies of the genus. It
"
curved. Lorae very large, a third longer, appears to be most nearly related to A.
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2 6 SUF'PL&;~/EAVT TO PSYCHE. [April 1896. relativus, hut is very distinct from that species in size and other chaiacters.
Agallia bigeloviae, 11. sp. - Form and
color, nearly, of a small, pale A. snngiiino- lda. The female differs only as follows. More robust. Sculpturing on posterior
threc-fourthsi of pronoturn not nearly so coarse. Veins in elytra more prominently brown. Two medial brown dashefe on pro-
notnm and vertex. Black spots on vertex
larger. Elytra barely equalling abdomen. Hind margin of last ventral segment thrice strongly notched; the middle notch vei-? deep and niiicli more obtiibe at apex than the liit- eral, the two lobes thus formed obtusely rounded at tips and much shorter than the hind angles of the segment. Length little more than 2 mm.
Described from a single female taken
on Bigelovia ;it Albuquerque (Ckll., 4616'). This species is very nearly related to A. sa~~,quinoleiilri, but easily separated by the above mentioned characters, especially the form of the last ventral segment. A larger series of this insect is much needed for ~tlld?.
XIII. NEW SPECIES OF PROSAPIS.
The name Prosopis. is preoccupied for !L genus of plants, on the flowers of which the bees of the genus Proso'pis- are some- times found. I have therefore ventured to write the bee-genus frosajis (rpos-ams), a name which accords with the assumed fact that it is one of the inost primitive among bees.
Prosapis bakeri, 11. sp.- 8, length ,y nim., black, with creamy markings, punctures of head and thorax fine and close. Head rather broad ; face not much narrowed below, white below level of antennae, the white extending as a pointed projection dpwards in median line, and on each side as a club-shaped pro- cess. cnrved over the antenna1 socket, and remote from the orbital margin. The two
sides of the median pointed process meet at an angleof almost 45'. Flagellum very dark brown, paler beneath. Scape swollen, trun- catc: its anterior side white and posterior side black. Prothorax all chirk, except the usual creamy-white spot on 'tubercles; which pre- sents no dark dot. Tegulae with a yellow spot. Pubescence all pale. Pleura rather hairy, closely and rather coarsely but not very deeply punctured. Dorsal wrinkles of metathorax rather feeble. Wings grayish- liyalirie, iicrvurcs and stigma piceous. Second submarginal narrowed one-half to
marginal. Femora black; tarsi yellowish- white with the ends darkened; anterior tibiae .rellowish-white in front; middle tibiae with the basal fourth, and hind tibiae with the basal two-fifths yellowish-white. Abdomen nodcrntci~ shining, very minutely punctured, slightly pubescent at bides, but without any conspicuous hair-bands or patches.
Huh.- Colorado; seven miles W. of Liver- more, Larimer Co.. July I, 1894, 7000 feet (C. 14'. Baker).
Allied to rudbec^iae^ hut differs by the white face, the half white scape, and the white frontal process curving over the anten- nae, etc.
Prosapis wootoni, n. sp,- <? about 5&
mm. long, black with pale dull yellow
markings, head and thorax closely punc-
tured. Pubescence pale, inclu~lin~hat
of dorsiim of mesothorax. Head rather
large and broad, face moderately narrowed below. Antennae entirely piceous, scape
only moderately &wollen. Face below
antennae pale yellow, the yellow forming only a rounded projection in the median
line, but at the sides produced upwards
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along tlie orbital margins; mow than 11;ilf as far as the length of the sciipe, gradi-ially narrowing from the base to a rounded
teriniiiiition which recedes a little from the orbit. Clypeus with a small black spot.
on each lateral margin Prothorax with
tlie usual yellow on tubercles, not sliow- ing any daik dot: and on the bind margin two very small and narrow, hardly noticeable, yellow lines. Tegnlae wholly dark. Pleura denselv and s~ibconflnently punctured; base of metathonix rupose. ~vith very large
shining punctures. Wings ti?;iline2 second submu-gii'ial cell not narrowed one-half to marginal. Femora black; tibiae black, anterior tibiae yellow in front, middle
tibiae yellow at extrpnie base. hind tibiiie with the bi~ssil two-fifths yellow. Tarsi wilh the first joint yellow~sh-white. the rest dark brown, except the anterior larsi which arc wholly dark brown. Abdomen i-hill-
ing, first segmeiit finely puuctured.
Hab.ÌÔNe Mexico; Ruidoso Creek. '7500
feet on A'<-ro$Jiidatia, July 6, i@c, (E. 0. Wooton, 78)
Differs from affinis by the clenr wings, qore produced lateral facc-iiiiirks, etc. ; from yitfrosuhts by the lateral face-n',arks termi- nating more na~rowly: and not notched
within; from cii~inifi'ons also by the shape of the face-mnrks.
Prosapis citrinifrons. n. sp.- $ ahout j mm. long; shiny, bli-ick with bright lemon yellow markings, head and thorax den>ely punctured. Pubescence of pleura pale,
that of dorsum of mesothcnmx blackish.
Head of ordinary size, face very little nxr- rowed below, antennae black, scape little dilated: face below antennae bright yellow, the yellow in the median line forming a
short broad nai-rowl? ti-inic:ite prominence, thin at the sides extendinpupwards along the orbitid margin rather more than half the length of the scape. bioadly rounded- excavated within by the sintenniil socket, ter- minating narrowly and obtusely. at the tip slightly receding from the orbital margin. Prothorax dark, except the yellow on
tubercles, which sliows a hyaline spot.
Tegulae entirely dark. Base of metathorax strongly rugose. Wings smoky. Femora
black; tibiae black, anterior tibiae orange in front, middle tibiae yellow at extreme base. hind tibiae wit11 the basal two-fifths yellow. Tarsi dark brown, fit-st joint of mid and hind tarsi yellowish-white. Abdo- men shining, with sparse pubescence ;
first segment with minute scattered punc- tures.
Hab.-Colorado; Forrester's Ranch un
l~iran?ie River. Larimer Co., Jilly 19, 1895, at 8500 feet (C. F. Baker).
Differs from nffinis by the dark hind
border of prothorax, and the shape of the face-marks; from ~lig'o.vuhis by the shape of the face-marks, etc.
Prosapis tridentulus, n. sp,- 8 about 5
mm. long. black with orange markings,
head nnd tboi-ax closely punctured, scutellum with the punctures deep but sparse. Head of ordinary size. face tolerably narrowed below, vertex closely but hardly couflucntly punctured, antennae wholly dark, scape
stout. Face below antennae reddish-orange (perhaps yellow, altered by cyanide). SLL- praclypeal pale patch conical. elongated, truncate, about two-thirds as long as the clype~is; lateral upward pale extensions narrow, rapidly receding from orbital ii-iar- gin'-, so as to be convex outwardly and
coneiivc inwardly, extending upwards very little further than the median mark,
Prothorax wholly black except the
usual light patch on tubercles, which
presents a black dot. Tegulae with a
light spot. Punctures on pleura rnlher
sparse. Base of metathorax rugose-tuber- culsttc. Wings clear with a slight smoky tinge; second su1~inai'~inaI cell very broad, little narrowed above. Femora black with a light spot at extreme tip; tibiae black, anterior tibiae orange in front, middle
tibiae orange at apex and base, hind tibiae with basal two-fifths and extreme tip orange.
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28 .SUI'P/,E~~!T~?LVT TO P f l W [April 1896, Abdomen distinctly punctured, but first seg- ment shining, with the punctui-es sparse, lateral hind margin of first segment with a narrow hair-hand.
flab.-Colorado; Chamber's Lake, L:u-i-
iner Co., Julv 18, 1% 9500 feet (C. F.
Iitiker). Also from New Mexico; Ruidoso
Creek, 75oofeet. Ji1ly6, 1895,013 Scropliulstria (E. 0. Wooton, 75). Differ!, from trYdm.~ by its smaller size. clearer wings. second sub- a r g i cell broader in proportion to itb length, tubel-cles with n black dot. and less deeply puiictur?d first segment of
abdomen ; from å´ve~//ceili by the first recurrent nervure entering tlic second siib- marginal cell, and the shorter antennae: from mesiZlae by its larger size, longer and narrowed lateral face-m:ii-U, etc. ; from fyyinaea by its larger size, the face-marks. etc.; from e~itutus by the clearer wings, and the curved, instead of straight, Literal face-marks.
Prosapis rugosulus. 11. SIX- a about
6 mm, long, black with orange markings>
head and thorax strongly punctured, sculel- inn with the punctures larger and sparser than thobe of the mesothorax. Head of
ordinary size, face only moderately nar- rowed below, vertex confluently pinictinx-d, antennae wholly dark, scape stout. Face
below antennae reddish-orsinge (perhaps
yellow, altered by cyanide), median pro- jcclion short, broad, truncate; lateral
extensions of the pale color rather broad, somewhat excavated I>! the antennsil 'iockets, ending, about on a level with the middle of the sciipe in a broad truncation.
Prothorax with a couple of small orange
spots on hind border; tubercles largely
oi'ange, with no black spot. Teguliic with a small light spot. Pleura rather closely punc- tured. Base of metathorax rugose. Wings
gwyish hyaline. Femora black. Tibiae
black, anterior tibiae orange in front,
middle tibiae with a little orange at apex and base, hind tibiae with the basal two- fifths orange. b'irst segment of abdomen distinctly and r:tther closely punctured, first three segments with narrow lateral apical hair bands.
/lab.-Colorado; Chamber's Lake, Lari-
mei- Co., July 18, 1895, 9,700 k t (C. F. Baker).
Vflr.faHax, v. nov, 3, Teguli-ic wit11 1.10 Sight spot; no light spots on hind bonier I ' I-othorax; lateral face-marks sit ends curved inward$, rccctli~ig a. little from the orbital margin.
Huh-Colorado; same locality :ind date
:IS type (Baker). Another form, perhaps
a distinct species, differs by the
pale mark-
ings being yellow, the punct~tring of meso- thorax finer, and the sct~tellu~n more closely punctured. It is from Steamboat Springs, Colo., 6000 feet (Baker).
Prosapis tridens, n. sp.- if 6 mm. long, black with reddish-yellow markings. Head, thorax and abdomen strongly punct~~red.
Head of ordinary size. face only moderate1,v narrowed below. Face below antenna1 sodiets reddibh-yellow, Llie cl?peaI sutures dark; the light color extends upwards in the median line as si conical projection, trunciitc about tlic level of the upper margin of the antenna1 sockets; at the sides it extends upwards as a narrow curved proiectiun reaching the s~iine level, recedingffrom the orbital margin
rather slowly, nith its concave side follow- ing the msu-gin of the antenna1 socket. Ver- tex closelyfind roughly punctured. Antennae wholly dark, their tips reaching only ;i little beyond the tcgulae; scape moderxtely swol- I Prothorax all dark except the ususil
light spot on tubercles, which exhibits no dark dot. Tegulae with a light spot. Meso- thorax 1noderntel.y shining, very closely punctured, scutellu~n not so closely. En- closed portion of metathorax coarsely rugose. Pleura closely punctured. Wings st.rongly tinged with fuliginous, nervures and stigma piceous. Second submiu-ginal cell not nar- rowed one-half to marginal. Femora black, with a small yellow spot at extreme end; anterior tibiae light in front, middle tibiae
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