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INTRODUCTION clxxxvii 



MusciDAE. — This family is not represented by endemic species, but owing to the 

 ease with which species are transported with stores of meat or in other ways on steamers, 

 there is now a considerable number of foreign representatives. Musca fiavineiins was 

 described by Thomson from Ross Island, with a variety from Honolulu, and is not 

 known to us. There is known, however, in addition to Musca domestica, a very 

 distinct Chinese species, probably of recent introduction. 



There are several species of Calliphora, the date of their introduction being 

 uncertain, but the conspicuous Pycnosoma diix became common in Honolulu in 1900, 

 and was no doubt introduced a year or two previously. Lucilia sericata appeared about 

 the same time as the preceding, and spread very rapidly, and as the maggots seriously 

 infest living sheep, it sometimes does considerable damage. RJiinia testacea also 

 appeared first in 1900, and at once became very common. Haematobia serrata was 

 imported in 1896, and is probably a worse scourge to horses and cattle in these islands 

 than elsewhere in the world. It breeds everywhere in the droppings of cattle, and 

 brood follows brood throughout the year. Musca domestica is also bred freely from 

 cowdung found in open pastures. Stonioxys calcitrans is a common pest, of earlier 

 introduction, since it was noticed in numbers on Hawaii in 1892. The flies of the 

 genera Calliphoi^a and Lucilia are often carried off by the predatory Crabronidae ; so too, 

 occasionally, is the common house-fly. They are also subject to the attack of some of 

 the same parasites as the Sarcophagidae. 



Anthomviidae. — The genera Hydrotaea, Ophyra, and Homalomyia contain only 

 imported species, as do some others yet undetermi"ned, but the several species of 

 Lispe are clearly endemic, and no doubt others will be added to these. They mostly 

 frequent the forest, and do not seem generally to be common. I have taken the 

 fossorial wasps, Hylocrabro tumidoveiitris and Xenocrabro inolokaiensis, carrying off one 

 of the species. Coenosia is an important genus with more than twenty species known 

 to me in the islands, but further collecting should increase this total to one hundred. 

 No doubt many of the species are rare. Nearly all are true forest insects, and they 

 are best represented in wet woods. Many of the species are known to be carnivorous, 

 preying on other weaker insects. The larger ones may sometimes be seen in some 

 numbers on the trunks of trees, having a bold appearance, as they stand ready to dart 

 off after some other insect. Sometimes the larger seize and devour smaller species of 

 the genus. Like so many other flies, they are themselves preyed upon by the Crabronid 

 wasps, the cells of which are sometimes found packed with nothing but Coenosia. 

 Both the black- and yellow-bodied species are taken by the wasps. Their earlier stages 

 are not known, but it is likely that some of the larvae that are found in the debris at 

 the bases of the leaves of Astelia or Freycinetia may produce these flies. 



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