116 INSECUTOR INSCITI/E MENSTRUUS 



and should not be allowed is sweeping to say the least. It is always 

 desirable to have abundant material, but single specimens may often be 

 made the types of new genera with perfect propriety and in the best 

 interests of taxonomy. This point is obvious. 



As to my species of Lucilia ^ I cheerfully admit that their erection may 

 not bear the test in all cases. As they stand, however, it simply remains 

 to test them by bred matericJ of knowTi parentage. The names already 

 applied will be found useful in carrying out such work. 



Mr. Walton has declared himself in no uncertain terms as a champion 

 of Mr. Coquillett's work on muscoid flies. About cJl that can be said 

 on this subject is that time will fully demonstrate whatever merit that work 

 may possess, and no one's commendation can increase its merit one whit. 

 In the interests of truth I must go on record here that the majority of the 

 said author's work in the Muscoidea will have to be completely revised. 

 It is highly unfortunate that a new student of the superfamily should so 

 unqualifiedly preiise such work. One should Wciit until he has had time 

 to become more familiar with the work in question before expressing him- 

 self so distinctly in favor of it. It is up to students who have access to 

 the material to restudy aU the muscoid specimens of which Mr. Coquillett 

 has furnished published determinations. In making this assertion I am 

 merely stating cold fact that has to be recognized. 



I Eim in a position to know something of the difficult problems that 

 beset muscoid taxonomy. To the best of my ability I am attempting to 

 solve some of those problems. Their solution requires study of 



( I ) Dried adult material ; 



(2) Adult material in liquid ; 



(3) Living adult material in the field for observation of host-habit and 

 mating ; 



(4) Dissections of fresh adult material for reproductive-system charac- 

 ters ; 



(5) Reared adult material from collected hosts; 



(6) Adult material bred through several generations from an identified 

 pair; 



(7) Egg material dissected from gravid females ; 



(8) Adolescent-stage material dissected from gravid females and 

 reared ; 



(9) Geological history and geographical distribution ; 



'Tax. Muse. Flies, pp. 1 18-123. 



