1907 



ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Ill 



Another fine insect in the same family is Echinomyia ftorum, Walker. 

 It is of a glossy blue-black, with light sienna-colored wings, and has a 

 yellow patch on either side of the first joint of the abdomen. 



Gonia capitata, DeGeer, is a prettily banded fly, also in the Tachinidse. 

 It frequents flower-heads, and was abundant at Quebec two years ago. 



A fly of strange habits is SarcopJiaga sarracenivc, Riley, Fig. 46, belong- 

 ing to the family Sarcophagidse. In the pitchers of the plant, Sarracenia 

 purpurea, will be found a decaying mass of insects, which had been attracted 

 by, and drowned in, the liquid that the pitchers contain. Into this corrupting 

 mass the fly, S. sarracenicc drops her eggs. The maggots from these thrive 

 in pollution and, after attaining their growth, bite a way through the side 

 of the pitcher and fall into the surrounding herbage, in which they undergo 

 the pupal change. 



The Muscidse form another large family. Fig. 47. In it we find Muhca 

 doTnestica, Linn., Lucilia Cccsar, Linn., Sarcophaga carnaria, Linn., house- 

 hold pests too well known. 



In the Anthomyidae comes the troublesome Artthomyia raphani, Harris, 

 which spoils our radishes. 



The ochre-colored Dung-fly, Scatophaga stercoraria, Linn., is common. 

 It is a representative of the Cordyluridse. 



Ffg. 46. — Sarcophaga earraceniaj. 



Fig. 47.— A Muscid Fly. 



Among the Ortalidse is found that most remarkable and handsome fly, 

 Pergata undata, Wied., which is figured on page 610 of "Insects Injurious 

 to Vegetation" by Harris. I have taken several specimens of this fine fly 

 in the Eastern Townships. 



Another beautiful insect belonging to this family is Chcetopsis oenea, 

 Wied. It has a glossy blue body, and pretty banded wings. I have found its 

 maggots preying upon Lepidopterous larvae, in the stems of bulrushes, and 

 have raised the perfect insects from them. 



Of insects in the family Trypetidse I have taken at Quebec, Straussia 

 longipennis, Wied., Eutreta sparsa, Wied., Eurosta solidaginis, Fitch, and 

 Tephritis alhiceps, Loew. 



It is Eurosta solidaginis that inhabits the large, round pithy galls that 

 are found on the Golden Rod. 



In the Piophilidae comes the well known Piophila casei, Linn., whose 

 larvae are the "hoppers" found in cheese. 



There are some other families of Diptera to which it does not come 

 within my present purpose to refer. I have endeavored to compress within 

 the limits of this article such information as seemed to me likely to arouse an 

 interest in the two winged flies, and to convey ideas of their number, variety 

 and habits. Everj^ species has doubtless its peculiar life-history — known or 

 unknown, to man. Every species fulfils its purpose in the economy of Nature. 

 They all bear testimony to the marvellous resources of the Divine Creator, who 

 in Wisdom hath made them all. 



