THE SYRPHIDAE OF OHIO 65 



this larva is nearly siiiootli, without the spines or velvet hairs of the first species; in 

 color dark, inclining to purple when not feeding, with cream colored blotches, tinged 

 with pink. The length in repose is about 8 mm. The puparium is dull brown, 

 gourd shajed; the anterior portion greatly inflated and behind suddenly flattened 

 and contracted to form a sort of a handle. The egg is indistinguishable from that 

 of Baaiia habisia. 



The Ruddy Aphis-fl}-. (Bacc/ia coguala Loew.) Larva found in company with 

 the pi ecc ding species preying upon Aphis, sometimes upon Orange, but more fre- 

 quently upon different kinds of Plant-lice found on herbaceous plants and weeds 

 of the garden. The larva has the form and smooth surface of B. lugens, but is 

 more transparent and lighter in color, yellowish-green and white predominating; 

 more slender and smaller than either of the preceding species. 



Platychirus— "/*. sciitafus is said to have been bred from rotten 

 fungi." Verrall, British Flies, p. 263. 



In the collection of Prof. James S. Hine are two male specimens of 

 P. quadratiis with the puparia attached bearing the label "Columbus, 

 Ohio, 4-3-1902." To him I am indebted for the following notes on 

 them and the opportunity to give the following brief description. 



These specimens were taken from a cat-tail or related plant in a marshy location. 



^\\\\A.y puparia described from two specimens: Length 6. 5 to 7. 5 mm. Height 2 

 to 2. 5nmi. Width slightly over 2 mm. Elongate-ovoid in outline as seen from above, 

 bulbous in front, broadest and highest well in front of the middle. Circular in 

 outline as seen from in front. From the side Fig loi, Plate VI, the ventral line is nearly 

 straight, the dorsal one well elevated and rounded out in front, descending gradually 

 to within about 1.5 mm. of the posterior respiratory appendage, thence more rapidly. 

 The posterior respiratory appendage (Figs. 102, 103) is short, not at all prominent, a 

 half broader than long; the black spots about the spiracles rather well elevated, the 

 appendage roiindingly excavated between Ihem, its surface smooth not marked by 

 very prominent spines or ridges. 



Color when empty very light ashy-brown. The segmenlal spines were invisible 

 and so may be considered inconspicuous in this species. The antetior respiratory 

 appendages had been pushed off with the operculum which was not preserved. 



Melanostoma — "The larvae weie naturally suppo.sed to be aphidoph- 

 agous; Giard in 1896 reared a number of larvae of M. mcUinuin which 

 attacked and killed numerous specimens of Musca domestica and Chorto- 

 plii/a pnsilla on the umbels of the common carrot {Daiicuscarota); he adds 

 however, that there were no aphids on these plants of Dauciis, so it is 

 possible that in default of their usual food they may have seized the next 

 best available." Verrall, British Flies, p. 303. 



Eupeodes— "It is very probable that De Gerts exhaustive descrip- 

 tion of the metamorphoses of his Musca pyrastri referred to this species 

 (^Eupeodes volucris); he found the larvae feeding on the aphides of pine 

 trees, but in captivity they readily eat other aphides as might be expected 

 from sucli a ubiquitious species." Verrall, British I'lies, p. 3S4. 



