r. 5. D. A., B. E. Tech. Ser. 12, Pt. II. August 29, 1906. 



MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



HABITS AND LIFE HISTORIES OF SOME FLIES OF THE FAMILY 



TABANID^. 



Bv J.\.MES S. HixE, ('ohimbu^, Ohio. 



THE BLACK-STRIPED HORSEFLY. 



{Tahamis hisiopJithalmus Macqiiart.) 



This species was reared from the egg- to the adult. The flv is one 

 of the earliest of its genus to appear in the spring, adults having been 

 taken at Columbus, Ohio, as early as May 20. and it is common during 

 the tirst half of June. The eggs are placed in masses on various plants 

 that grow in low, wet ground, but I have not observed them over 

 water. The masses are pure shining black when fully colored, rather 

 small tor members of the genus, onlv slightlv convex, and accompanied 

 with an unusual amount of cementing material, which nearly obscures 

 the form and arrangement of the individual eggs. The mass in place 

 suggests somewhat a drop of tar or other black substance fastened to 

 the surface of a leaf of the common cattail reed [Typha latlfolla)^ a 

 sedge, or some other plant. 



The eggs are usually deposited after the 10th of June, and the speci- 

 mens from which larvw for rearing hatched were taken in Medina 

 County, Ohio, on a common sedge found growing near the outlet of a 

 small spring. They were collected June 28 and hatched the next day 

 and the da}' after. As 1 had not been successful up to this time in 

 keeping very young larvae for any length of time, it was decided to 

 try ditierent methods of treatment in order to find out, if possible, 

 which is best suited to their requirements. Some were placed in a jar 

 containing water only; others in a jar containing water with a couple 

 of inches of sand in the bottom. A third jar in which larva? were placed 

 contained wet muck, while the fourth lot were placed in a jar contain- 

 ing moist sand to the depth of about 3 inches, covered over the top 

 with a quantity of tine leaves of water plants. In all the breeding jars 

 were placed plenty of small crustaceans and other minute invertebrates 

 procured from water by means of a fine-meshed sieve. 



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