THE DUNG FLIES 
255 
and Australia, a very general scavenger, is known as 
Sarcophaga carnaria L., and in countries which it in¬ 
habits is once in a while found in houses. It does not 
seem to occur in the United States, although a species 
which much resembles it, S. sarracenicc Riley, is abun¬ 
dant throughout the country. It looks like a very large 
and active house fly, and is occasionally found in 
houses. It is commonly reared from the remains of 
dead insects, but is also attracted to and breeds in ex¬ 
creta. (Fig. 31.) 
A smaller species, S', assidua Walk., much resembles 
the house fly and is of about the same size. It is con¬ 
fined to the United States and is occasionally found in 
houses. It, like the preceding species, breeds in dead 
insect remains, but is attracted to and breeds in ex¬ 
creta and is therefore dangerous. 
The Dung Flies 
(Sepsis violacea Meig., Scatopliaga furcata Say) 
There is a little black fly known as Sepsis violacea 
Meig., which is shown in Fig. 32 and which is not at 
all uncommon in houses, being found as a rule upon 
the window panes. It belongs to the same family as 
the cheese fly, but does not attack stored foods or any¬ 
thing to be found in the pantry. It breeds almost ex¬ 
clusively in excreta and has been reared in swarms 
from an old human deposit collected on the Potomac 
flats near the city of Washington. It is very small in 
size, glistening black in color, and of slender shape. 
There is a whole family of small, brownish flies 
