350 MiME SOUTH INDIAN INSECTS. ETC. 



Fig. 209. — Musca nebulo. The small figure shows the natural size. 

 i iriginal.) 



amongst filth the adult fly is equallj at home on excrementitious 



matter and on food intended for human consumption and carries 

 on to the latter various disease-germs derived from its frequenting 

 unclean situations. Enteric Fever, Cholera and Intestinal Worms 

 are amongst the more important of the evils carried onto food by 

 the House-fly. 



Control. — (i) The most important means of control is proper 

 sanitation in the neighbourhood of all dwellings. This includes 

 proper disposal of all refuse-food, stable-manure, and excrementi- 

 tious matter of every kind. 



(2) Killing the flies by traps, fly-papers, etc. 



(3) Screening of all food, bungalows, kitchens, etc. 

 Remarks. (l) The House-flies of India include several distinct 



species which may or may not be identical with Musca nebulo. The 

 lifehistory and habits of all, however, are likely to be practically 

 identical and all may be looked on as noxious pests of the worst 

 description. 



(2) I am indebted to Captain Patton, I.M.S., for information 

 regarding the identification of Mused nebulo, which is apparently 

 the common House-fly of Southern India. 



MUSCA PATTON I, A list. 



Musca pattoni, Austen, A.M.N.H. (8). V, 114 117 (Jan. 1910); 

 Patton and Cragg, Ind. Jl. Med. Re-.. 1. 17 [8, t. 2 (Aug. 1913). 



Distribution.- Probably throughout the Plains of Southern India. 



Lifehistory. -Eggs are laid in piles of cowdung, rarely in 

 isolated patches, the eggs being laid singly, bin frequently by 

 large numbers of flies in the same place. The larva is of the shape 

 shown in the figure and about 10 mm. in length. The dirty 

 greyish-white puparium, about 7 mm. long, is found in the clung. 



