240 MAJOR W. S. PATTON. 



(4). Aphiochaeta xanthina, Speiser [ferriiginea, Brunetti), and A. riifipes, Meig. — 

 These two Phorids commonly cause tissue and intestinal myiasis in man and animals 

 in their larval stages. 



During the course of this inquiry, which extended over more than a year, I gained 

 a large amount of valuable information on such points as, how best to breed these 

 flies from their larvae, how to preserve and send the larvae for further study and, most 

 important of all, how to set about identifying the larvae and adults of blowflies in 

 general, and the myiasis-producing species in particular. It is with the object of 

 extending the inquiry to the study of the myiasis-producing flies from other parts of 

 the world, particularly from Malaya, the Dutch East Indies, China, Japan, Australia 

 and Tropical America, that I propose recording my notes in this paper. Although 

 much valuable work has been done on the myiasis-producing Diptera of Africa by 

 Rodhain, Bequaert, Roubaud and others, our information regarding the Calli- 

 PHORINAE which parasitise man in their larval stages is still very imperfect. For 

 instance, it is not known whether Chrysomyia bezziana deposits its eggs in human 

 tissues in Africa, though its larvae are extremely common in human tissues in India. 

 I would therefore ask all those who may have opportunities of collecting such material 

 from man and animals to forward it to Dr. Guy A. K. Marshall, C.M.G., Director 

 of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell 

 Road, London, S.W. 7., who has kindly consented to receive it and forward it to me 

 for further study. The results will be published from time to time in this Bulletin. 

 I may say that as the identity and correct names of many of the common blowflies 

 are at present hopelessly confused, I have decided to extend this study to the Cal- 

 LiPHORiNAE in general. Specimens of any blowflies and their larvae, particularly 

 first stage larvae, and any of the larvae and adults of the Oestridae will be most 

 welcome. Most of the Indian material has already been collected, and is now being 

 studied ; material from the areas mentioned above would be of great value for 

 comparative study. Those who wish to help in this inquiry will find full details of 

 how to collect and breed blowflies in general, and the myiasis-producing species in 

 particular, in these notes. I shall be glad to correspond with any observer who would 

 like any further information on this subject. 



The Classification of Myiasis-producing Diptera. 



A reference to the recent literature on this subject shows that the myiasis-pro- 

 ducing Diptera are mainly grouped according to the tissues or organs in which their 

 larvae are found, so that we have such species as cause rhinal, oral, aural, ocular, 

 tissue, and cavity myiasis. But such a Calliphorine as Chrysomyia bezziana will 

 deposit its eggs in any of these organs or tissues, so that following this method of 

 classification it would have to be placed in several of the groups. 



Recently Bishopp has contributed a valuable article on this subject, grouping 

 the species according to the methods of attack , his groups are as follows : — • 



(1). Tissue-destroying forms. — In this group are included those species whose 

 larvae attack living animals secondarily, mainly breeding in the bodies of dead animals. 

 Bishopp rightly places Cochliomyia {Chrysomyia) macellaria. the well-known screw- 

 worm fly of Tropical America in this group, also such species as Lucilia sericata, and 

 species of Sarcophaga. Chrysomyia bezziana would also have to be placed in this 

 group, for its larvae are true tissue-destroyers, as anyone who has seen a scalp wound 

 infested with its larvae will know. But this CalHphorine cannot be placed in the 

 same group as Cochliomyia macellaria, Lucilia sericata and species of Sarcophaga, 

 for the simple reason that it never breeds in dead tissues ; it is a true specific myiasis- 

 producing species, and the only known metallic Calliphorine which has this habit. 



(2). Suhdermal migratory forms. — Species, the larvae of which are true parasites 

 of man and animals during the greater part of their lives, living beneath the skin. 



