169 



species of blowflies : — Calliphom erythrocephala, C vomitoria, Lucilia 

 caesar, Protocalliphora groenlandica, Fannia canicularis, F. scalaris, 

 Piophila casei, Sarcophaga carnaria and Musca domestica. The most 

 attractive baits were liver, brain, fish or hard-boiled egg in which 

 maggots were present. Attractiveness increased after the baits had 

 been blown and were in a more or less liquid condition in consequence 

 of the digestive action of the larvae. Animal substances always proved 

 more attractive than vegetable or chemical compounds, but mixtures 

 of casein and peptone with water and bread gave fairly good results 

 when no other bait was present. The offensive smell of decomposing 

 meat substances and of casein and peptone mixtures renders their 

 general use impossible, but they might be placed at some distance from 

 dwelling places, where the odour would not be noticeable. The baits 

 should be placed in sunny positions, since the number of flies then 

 attracted is much greater than in the shade. 



Among the baits tested for house-flies, the following were the most 

 satisfactory : — (1) mixtures of casein, sugar and water, with or without 

 banana, in equal proportions ; if beer or stout was added, the mixtures 

 became attractive immediately, otherwise they must be kept one or 

 two days ; (2) malted milk and water ; (3) banana, especially when 

 over-ripe ; (4) custard pudding ; (5) cornflour, milk and sugar ; 

 (6) custard powder, milk and sugar. Casein mixtures had certain 

 advantages on account of their cheapness, the length of time of 

 attractiveness (from 7 to 10 days) and the absence of offensive smell 

 when mixed with sugar, banana, etc. The number of flies caught on 

 dull days was less than on sunny days. Certain substances were tested 

 as to their poisonous effect, mainly on house-flies. The most effective 

 was formalin bait, consisting of 25 cc. of 30 per cent, formahn and 

 75 cc. casein mixture, which killed 31 per cent, of flies present on the 

 first day. On the second day, ammonium nitrate (5 per cent, pure) 

 killed 53 per cent, of flies ; 40 per cent, formahn, 45 per cent. ; and 

 antimony oxychloride, 37 '5 per cent. Experiments on starving flies 

 showed that they could survive longer without food than could those 

 which had been given poisoned baits ; in September and October they 

 succumbed after starving for six days, but in November and December 

 they remained alive for from 7 to 10 days. 



A species of Empusa caused great mortality during September and 

 October, although breeding continued. The proportion of male and 

 female house-flies emerging during the period covered by these experi- 

 ments was almost equal, while approximately equal numbers died 

 naturally in August and September. More than twice as many females 

 as males were caught in baited traps, owing to the fact that they visited 

 the traps both for feeding and for oviposition. 



SwENK (M. H.). Descriptions and Records of North American Hippo- 

 /^- boscidae. — Jl. New York Entom. Soc, Lancaster, Pa., xxiv., no. 2, 



June 1916, pp. 126-136. [Received 1st September 1916.] 



The following species are recorded from various birds : — Olfersia 

 albipennis, Say ; 0. botaurinoruni, sp. n. ; 0. scutellaris, sp. n. ; 

 0. intertropica. Walk. ; 0. angustifrons, Wulp ; 0. atnericana, Leach ; 

 0. wolcotti, sp. n. ; Ornithomyia buteonis, sp. n. ; 0. costaricensis, 

 sp. n. ; 0. pirangae, sp. n. 



