180 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



INSECTS BRED FROM COW MANURE.f 



BY F. C PRATT, 

 Lata Assistant Entomologist, Bureau oi Entomology. 



Note. — This papei has been compiled from numerous notes made by Mr. 

 F. C. Pratt some time before his death. The investigation was prosecuted with 

 skill and enthusiasm by Mr. Pratt, and the paper gives but a slight idea of the 

 large amount of work on the subject which was done by this assiduous ento- 

 mologist. — W. D. Hunter. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



In 1907, at the suggeslion of Mr. D. L. Van Dine, an attempt was 

 made by the Bureati of Entomology to breed parasites of the horn-fly 

 ( Hœmatohia serrata Rob.- Da v.) to ship to Hawaii for experiments in the 

 control of the pests. Although a ntimber of predators were bred, no 

 absolute records of parasitism were obtained. However, the work resulted 

 in the rearing of a considerable number of species which have not been 

 known to develop in cow manure. The following list may be considered 

 supplementary to that of Dr. L. O. Howard (Can. Ent., Feb., 1901, pp. 

 42-44), which dealt exclusively with Diptera. Dr. Howard's list included 

 25 species of Diptera, the present list contains 31 species of that order, 

 17 of Coleoptera and one of Lepidoptera. Of the species of Diptera 

 included in Dr. Howard's list, 14 occur in this one and 20 are new. 



Special notes were made on ihe occurrence of the various species in 

 the stables and milking-houses on account of the possibility of the con- 

 lamination of the milk by disease organisms or in other ways. 



The records from Victoria, Texas, were obtained by Mr. J. D. 

 Mitchell. The species previously bred fiom cow manure are preceded by 

 an asterisk. The Diptera were determined by the late D. W. Coquillett, 

 and the Coleoi)tera by Mr. E. A. Schwarz. 



Liu of species bred from cow manicre. 

 DIPTERA. 

 Family psychodid.^.. 

 * PsycJioda uiiniita Banks. — Victoria, June 9. Six specimens. 



Family chironomid.î:. 

 "^ Ceratopogon specularis Coq. — Dallas, July 26, 29, 30, Aug. 31, Oct. 

 21, Nov. 4. Victoria, May 27, Dec. i. Seventy specimens. 



This species has also been bred from cow manure by Long. See 

 Biol. Bull., 1902, p. 7. 



P^amily MYCETOPHiLiD/t:. 

 *Sciara, sp. — -Victoria, June 9. Nine specimens, 

 t Published by permission of the Chief ot the Bureau of Entomology. 

 June. 1912 



