96 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



in their larval stage. It was observed to hibernate in the 

 larval state inside the flesh fly pupae during the cold of win- 

 ter. The other species is conspicuous by its widely opened 

 mouth ; this species attacks flesh fly pupae as also full-grow T n 

 larvae. The third parasite is very minute and confines its 

 attention chiefly to the maggots of small species of flesh 

 flies, such as Phorids, Sepsids, etc. It has also been bred 

 out from the pupae of Sarcophaga and Pycnosoma. Even 

 the parasitized pupae of Sarcophaga and the C alliphorince 

 were observed to be attacked by this small parasite, which 

 apparently acts as a hyperparasite to the true Chalcidid 

 parasites of Sarcophaga and C alliphorince. 



Tabanidae. 



Observations regarding the gregarious egg-laying habit 

 of Tabanus nemocallosus were continued. 



Tabanidae in general are in the habit of depositing their 

 eggs in the vicinity of water but a great deal of difference 

 in the selection of positions has been marked amongst these 

 flies. Small Tabanids such as Tabanus bicallosus, T. virgo, 

 two species of Hcematopota, and Chrysops stimulans, are 

 in the habit of ovipositing on the leaves of aquatic plants 

 such as Polygonum glabrum and Phragmites kurka, which 

 grow in shallow water. The time of egg-laying differs in 

 different species; for instance, Chrysops stimulans was 

 observed on almost all occasions to oviposit between noon 

 and 2 p.m. ; Tabanus bicallosus will lay throughout the day 

 but preferably between 9 and 10 a.m. ; Hcematopota spp. 

 were seen to oviposit mostly during morning and evening 

 hours but never during the strong heat of the day. 



Eggs of all these small Tabanids are always arranged 

 in a single layer and they are free from egg parasites. 



Amongst the larger species, Tabanus albimedius does 

 not seem to be particular about situation; it has been ob- 

 served to lay eggs on any aquatic plants grown either in 

 deep or shallow water or mud. Any small accumulation of 

 water either casual or permanent, will attract these flies 



