Report of the State Entomologist 237 



wings were seldom used except when they were disturbed. A light 

 introduced in a warm room arouses them at first, but after investi- 

 gating it, they show a disposition to hide away. 



Three companies of thejlies. — For the last two seasons, two companies 

 of the flies have been observed. The last comers took possession of 

 the northwest end of the veranda and kept entirely separate from 

 those on the northeast end. The veranda is fort}' feet in length, and 

 between the two there was a stretch of brick wall of ten or twelve feet 

 in extent, upon which a few scattering individuals only could be seen. 

 The hose was occasionally turned upon the wall to drive them away, 

 but as soon as it was free from drip, they returned again, and each 

 company to its own quarters. The present summer, in early Septem- 

 ber, a third company made its appearance and swarmed on the front 

 porch which faces the east and receives the sunshine nearly the 

 entire day. 



No other house visited. — The flies, so far as could be learned, were 

 not found in any other house at Ausable Forks, nor in any of the 

 other buildings upon the same grounds. Not a single one had been 

 seen in either the conservatory or grapery. A notice of the fly and 

 its interesting peculiarities was published in the county papers, with 

 the request for notification if it had been observed elsewhere in the 

 vicinity, but no response was received. 



Arrival and departure. — The flies have not been observed either in 

 their approach to the house or in their departure from it, and it is, 

 therefore, suspected that their flights are made during the night or 

 under cover of darkness. An advance guard seems to signalize the 

 coming of the main body. Some morning, in the latter part of August, 

 a few are to be seen on the wall or screens, when the announcement is 

 made by some member of the family — " those horrid flies are coming 

 again ! " Perhaps a week thereafter, or the first hot day following, 

 upon going out after breakfast, the Chloropiscas are found in such 

 force, that the veranda is surrendered to them. They continue to 

 abound on the veranda for about two weeks longer, when they begin 

 to show a rapid diminution in number, through having crept into 

 crevices and holes for their winter retreat. In a short time, all have 

 disappeared. This year, on the twentieth of September, none were to 

 be seen. 



When the time of their departure approaches, during the month of 

 April, they are to be seen buzzing actively about, both inside and out- 

 side of the house. The window jianes, especially, abound with them 

 on both sides. This is a favorable time to apply pyrethrum to them, 

 31 



