COMBATING DANGEROUS FLIES. 



Protophormia terra-nova is about .4 in. long; the eyes 

 of the male are closer together than those of the female 

 but not so close as in the male of Phormia regina; palpi, 

 light brown or yellowish; prothoracal stigma, black; 

 there are delicate spines along the proximal half of the 

 first section of the third longitudinal vein. See also the 

 next species. It is found about excrement but is not 

 usually common. 



Phormia regina (Plate LXIX) is fairly common. Its 

 larvae live in carrion. The palpi are tipped with black; 

 prothoracal stigma red or yellow; and the spines on the 

 third vein are well developed. Both it and the preceding 

 species are likely to be confused with Lucilia, but in that 

 genus the front, between the eyes, is usually distinctly 

 margined with white and it is not in these species. 



Methods of Combating Dangerous Muscidas. 



The usual methods employed in fighting the dangerous 

 Muscidae are really of little avail. Sticky fly-paper, wire 

 fly-traps, and poisons will undoubtedly kill a large number 

 but infinitely more are breeding where these came from. 

 Screening our windows and doors will undoubtedly keep 

 many out but it is not pleasant to live in a cage. Further- 

 more, the people from whom we buy our milk and other 

 food-stuffs may not be so careful. The only thorough- 

 going method is to stop the trouble at its source prevent 

 breeding. If we could do away with the breeding-places, 

 or make them unfit for fly-larvae, or keep adult flies away 

 from them, the thing would be done. Nearly all the 

 books and lecturers say that this is easy. It is well to be 

 optimistic but better to recognize the whole truth. It 

 cannot be done easily. 



'T'he remedy is simple, effective, practicable, and 

 inexpensive. Destroy their breeding-places and you will 

 have no flies." The latter sentence is manifestly true. 

 Stable manure should be kept in fly-proof bins; treatment 

 with kerosene, chlorid of lime, etc., is not completely 

 satisfactory. Cess-pools must also be made fly proof. 

 Privies must be done away with, or all traces of excre- 

 ment removed and buried deeply at least once a week. 

 18 273 



