REAKINGS AND DISSECTIONS OF TACHINID^. 115 



extremely active during warm, .sunny weather. Figure 2G is intro- 

 duced to show the disposition of the " tanglefooted " trays within this 

 cage. Figure 28 shows the outdoor cage used in securing oviposition 

 of Ja])anese Tachbia, which, in default of a vestibule, was covered 

 about the door with paper to prevent the flies from congregating 

 there. P^igure 29 shows the glass cylinders in use and the wire- 

 screen receptacle for inclosing flies with caterpillars on foliage that 

 can be kept green for a considerable time. 



We further have in mind for next season a compound outdoor cage 

 on these Hues, 30 by 15 feet floor space, arranged with five compart- 

 ments on each side of a passageway, each compartment to ])e (> by fi 

 by B feet, so as to alloAv one experimenter to work separately with 10 

 species of flies at a time. The whole will be fitted with canvas roof 

 and drop curtains, in sections, capable of being completely rolled up 

 or lowered, as desired. A small table, with microscope and work 

 materials for the use of the experimenter, will be placed at one end 

 of the passageway. The other end of the latter will open outside by a 

 screen door, and each compartment will open into the passageway 

 only. The vestibule can thus be dispensed with, since the passageway 

 will serve the purpose. 



BLEACHING THE PUP ARIA OF TACHINID^. 



One point connected with the preparation of early-stage tachinid 

 material for permanent preservation deserves mention. It has already 

 been stated that the anal stigmata of the puparia show excellent char- 

 acters for the separation of the various forms. It is highly desirable 

 to present photomicrographs of these along with the taxonomic re- 

 sults derived from a study of them, but no practical mounts for this 

 purpose can be made of them in their natural condition. A series of 

 bleaching experiments has therefore been instituted, and the puparia 

 have been successfully bleached with chlorine Avater to any desired 

 degree. The result is a slide mount from whicli either drawings or 

 photographs may be made with ease. 



RESULTS FROM DISSECTIONS OF NATIVE TACHINIDiE. 



I am able to include here some intei'esting results obtained from dis- 

 sections of females of native tachinids. We have secured the uterine 

 eggs of some seventy species, and the results are a revelation. 

 B()mJ>ijliornijia ahfufta Wiedemann. Echhiomyia algens Wiedemann, 

 3 species of Peleteria, 3 species of Arcliytas^ Panzeria sp., VarieJioRta 

 sp., ('opcfvi/pta {THchophora) ruf,eauda van der Wulp, and Mirro- 

 jxdpus sp. shoAV uterine nuiggots similar to those of Enpeleteria 

 magnicornls, thus proving the al)undant presence of the leaf-larvi- 

 position habit in our native fauna. The maggots of some of the 

 forms differ in the details of the spines and plates. We now know 

 thirteen species, therefore, that have this habit. 



