8 May, 1907. J Fruit Flies. 303 



oranges and the perfect flies lived ten days without food. The Mediter- 

 ranean fly has also been reared from tomatoes sent from Queensland. 

 The larvae of the fly curl up and by a muscular movement jump fully one 

 foot. I placed various fruits Avith these flies, but could not get them to 

 deposit eggs in them. 



These flies are verv active at night if exposed to light, and possibl) 

 might be attracted by placing a lamp amongst the trees, the lam]) to be 

 placed in kerosene. 



Inspector Farrell repoTts the results of his investigations in connexion 

 with the Mediterrajiean Fruit-Fly and its habits as follow: — "I placed 

 fully-grown larvae in a jar on the 12th February. Flies batched out on 

 the 25th, i.e. thirteen days later. These were placed in a tin box containing 

 some earth and covered over with a mosquito curtain ; sliced tomatoes and 

 peaches were put in with them, and the box was left out in the open air. 

 Flies fed on the tomatoes, but punctured peaches and deposited eggs in 

 them. The flies died on the 21st March, twenty-five days old. Other 

 flies which were hatched out on the same day but got no food, died on thir^ 

 I St March, four days old. I reared from the peaches a number of larvae 

 which went into the chrysalis state on the 15th March, and I expect them 

 out on the 30th or 31st March. 



On the 15th March I saw a flv on a peach in Constable Collins" 

 garden. The fl\ must have just laid. I secured the peach and kept it 

 under observation. At first there was no puncture visible, but afterwards 

 one became pronounced. I reared five larvae from this peach ; these were 

 fully grown on the 25th March and went into chrysalis on that date. 



In connexion with egg-laying I find that from four to seven eggs are 

 laid in each puncture or chamber, and not alone does the flv jnincture the 

 fruit, but it also constructs an oval-shaped chamber which is apparently 

 lined with a tough brownish substance. Mr. Carmody and I, at Numur- 

 kah, found four tinv elongated eggs of a dirt\ white colour and these 

 when seen under the lens shone similarl\ to the body of a young larva. 

 The eggs lay parallel to each other, and occupied about half the capacity 

 of the chamber. The voung larvae hatched out on the following day, but 

 we did not succeed in rearing them. I have found four larvae each in a 

 number of peaches which had apparentlv only one puncture each. I have 

 also found twelve larvae in peaches where onlv three punctures each were 

 visible. Then again I have found five, six and seven larvae in peaches, 

 each of which had apparently only one puncture, but I have never found 

 less than four larvae in any peach. Therefore it is only reasonable to 

 conclude that from four to seven eggs are deposited in each chamber, 

 and that four are more frequently laid than any other number. Flies are 

 apparently not fit to lay until they are four days old. 



An analysis of the above will show 



1st. — That from the time the egg is laid until larva is fully grown 



is 12' days. 

 2nd. — That the chrysalis stage is 13 days. 



3rd. — That the life of the perfect insect when fed is 24 da\s. 

 4th. — That from the time the egg is laid until insect which it con- 

 tains dies of old age is 50 days. 

 5th. — That when the flv is not fed the 50 days are reduced to 29 

 days. 



I have not been able to determine the term of the eggs' incubation." 



In Western Australia, Mr. Fuller remarks, " the fruit is attacked 

 directK it begins to sweeten and before it ripens, green fruit lieing seldom 



