116 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXVI 



LARV/E OF PHORMIA CHRYSORRHEA MACQ. FOUND UPON NESTLING 



BLUEBIRDS 



By Hoyes Lloyd 



ON July 4, 1922, Philip Foran and I discovered 

 a Bluebird's nest at his farm five miles west 

 of Hull, Quebec. The nest was in a cavity 

 in a dead stub and was situated about five or 

 six feet from the ground. At this time the nest 

 contained four eggs. 



I returned to this nest on July 23, and found the 

 young fairly well grown and feathered. Conse- 

 quently they were removed from the nest and 

 banded. Two of the four had enlarged tarsi 

 perhaps twice normal size as indicated by the tarsi 

 of the other two. 



This enlargement may have been caused by the 

 presence of fly larvae which were found attached to 

 the tarsi. These larvae clung tightly to their host, 

 but when pulled off moved about with agility. 



On the next day, July 24, a return visit was 

 made to the nest and all the young were searched 

 carefully for these parasites. Ten were secured, 

 which with the three taken the day before, made a 

 total of thirteen from the four birds. 



The larvae were found on the tarsi again, one on 

 a lower mandible, several between the growing 

 quills on the under side of the wings, and one was 

 attached to a growing quill. Urder the birds' 

 wings tiny spots of blood were seen where the 

 larvae had been attached. 



Eleven live larvae were forwarded to the Entomo- 

 logical Branch, Dominion Department of Agri- 

 culture, and fortunately they succeeded in rearing 

 three to maturity. Their report on the matter is 

 as follows: 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 ENTOMOLOGICAL BRANCH 



Ottawa, August 18, 1922. 

 Mr. Hoyes Lloyd, 



Dominion Parks Branch, 

 Ottawa. 



Dear Mr. Lloyd: 



In reference to the maggots which you found on 

 nestling Bluebirds, I have much pleasure m inform- 

 ing you that we were successful m rearing three 

 adults from the material you supplied. Dr. Aldrich 

 of the U.S. National Museum, to whom the speci- 

 mens were sent identified them as Phormia chrysorr- 

 hea Macq. On referring to Dr. Aldrich's catalogue 

 of the Diptera I find that this genus commonly is 

 found on the young of birds. The species azurea, 

 for instance, is found in France and Germany on 

 the nestlings of Sparrows and young Larks, whereas 

 chrysorrhea has been taken in Germany on young 

 Swallows. 



We have little information or the nature of these 

 insects in our offices; most of the references apply 

 to European literature, it being stated that both 

 these two species are rare m North America. 



On behalf of the Branch I wish to thank you very 

 much indeed for your kindness in drawing our 

 attention to this insect and for submitting speci- 

 mens. I hope that the information contained in 

 this letter will prove of interest to you. 

 Yours very truly, 



R. C. Treherne, 

 Chief, Division Field Crop and Garden Insects. 



As the nest was empty on August 1, and as Blue- 

 birds were seen in the vicinity, it is probable that 

 the young were not permanently disabled by the 

 parasites, and were able to fly at the usual time. 



My thanks are due the officers of the Entomolo- 

 gical Branch for their courteous attention to this 

 matter. 



OCCURRENCES OF THE MEADOWLARK IN NOVA SCOTIA 



By Harrison F. Lewis. 



MANY of the occurrences in Nova Scotia of 

 the Meadowlark {Sturnella magna magna) 

 have not been recorded in any publication. 

 Such records of occurrences as have been published 

 are widely scattered. It has therefore seemed 

 advisable to collect as many records of Nova Scotia 



Meadowlarks as possible and to publish them in 

 one article, where they may be referred to readily. 



The endeavour to collect these records has re- 

 sulted in the list, given below, in which fourteen 

 Meadowlarks are definitely recorded from Nova 

 Scotia. In the compilation of this list valuable 



