280 THE HOUSE FLY—DISEASE CARRIER 
been attracted by the presence of these food supplies. 
Of these 23,087 flies, 22,808 were Musca domestica, 
i. e., ninety-eight and eight-tenths per cent, of the whole 
number captured. The remainder, consisting of one 
and two-tenths per cent, of the whole, comprised vari¬ 
ous species, the most significant ones being Homalomyia 
canicular is (the species ordinarily called the “little 
house fly”) of which eighty-one specimens were cap¬ 
tured; the stable fly (Muscina stabulans), thirty-seven 
specimens; Pliora femorata, thirty-three; Lucilia cccsar, 
eighteen; Drosophila ampelophila, fifteen; Sarcophaga 
trivialis, ten; Calliphora erythrocephala, seven. Musca 
domestica is, therefore, the species of great significance. 
Homalomyia canicularis is important. Muscina stabu¬ 
lans is of somewhat lesser importance. Drosophila 
ampelophila is an important form, and had more of the 
captures been made in the autumn its numbers would 
probably have been greater, since beyond doubt it is 
an abundant species in houses after fruit has begun to 
make its appearance (say, in August and September 
and on until winter time) in pantries and on dining¬ 
room sideboards. The Calliphora and the Lucilia are 
of slight importance, not only on account of their rar¬ 
ity in houses, but because they are not true excrement 
insects. Other forms were taken, but either their 
household occurrence was probably accidental, or from 
their habits they have no significance in the disease- 
transfer function. 
—Extracted from: A Contribution to the Study of the Insect 
Fauna of Human Excrement. By L. O. Howard (p. 547). 
