EEAETNGS AND DISSECTIONS OP TACHINID^E. 117 



the two dozen European species that we have studied are to be added 

 to these, making a total of nineteen American and European species 

 now known to have this habit. It is therefore evident that, while 

 European and American students were industriously engaged in criti- 

 cising and discrediting Sasaki's statements, abundant proof of them 

 was right at hand on both continents, had anyone stopped to look for it. 



The uterine eggs of the other native forms dissected indicate a habit 

 of oviposition on, or larviposition in or on the host. The dexiine flies 

 api^ear so far to deposit living maggots, slender and pointed like those 

 of the macronychiid flies. Theresia tandrec Coquillett {non Robineau- 

 Desvoidy) deposits the same kind of a maggot, except that its anal 

 end is bifid into two slender processes in which the trachew terminate. 

 The pseudodexiine flies deposit a maggot somewhat less elongate, 

 and some of the masiceratine and phoroceratine flies, one still more 

 shortened. One species near Maskera. but with stout discal macro- 

 cha'ta\ was found to contain uterine maggots that were shortened 

 and plump, with strongly marked complete rows of spines on the 

 segments, greatly resembling certain (pstrid maggots ((Estnis and 

 Gastrophiliis). Hemyda aurata Desvoidy gave us only ovarian eggs, 

 which are elongate but do not seem to indicate larviposition. So far 

 the leaf-oviposition habit seems confined to certain masiceratine, willis- 

 toniine and goniine flies and their near relatives, which seem to form 

 two or three compact taxonomic groups. The habit of leaf -larvi- 

 position seems confined to the echinomyiine and hystriciine flies. 

 An immense amount of this dissecting work must yet be done, how- 

 ever, before any generalizations can be made. 



As might be expected, there is considerable diversity of type in the 

 structure of the chorion of the minute eggs. This may, or may not, 

 imply independence of origin. For example, the European species 

 doubtfully referred to Phorocera (p. 101) has the exposed chorion 

 (the part not attached to the leaf surface) limpet-shaped and show- 

 ing concentric rings instead of the ordinary reticulation; and the 

 exposed chorion of Sisyropa sp. (Laboratory No. 1975) is reticulate, 

 but shows a remarkable, irregular, light-colored fringe around the 

 edge, ])ierced with microscopic shot-holes. Both of these forms of 

 ^"flilr. placed on the leaves, would greatly resemble extremely small 

 miniatures of certain coccids! 



SUMMARY OF REPRODUCTIVE HABITS NOW KNOWN IN THE 



TACHINIDJE. 



From what has been recorded in this paper it will be seen that we 

 now know five different styles of reproductive habit in the Tachinidse, 

 These may be summarized as follows: 



Reproductive habits. Examples. 



(1) Host-oviposition Tachina larvarum. 



(2) Leaf-oviposition Blepharipa scutellata. 



(3) Supraciitaneons liost-larviposition Dexiine flies and allies. 



(4) Subcutaneous bost-larviposition Comjtsiliira couciimata. 



(5) Leaf-larviposition Eiipelcteria nKKjnicnrnis. 



