198 Musca AUSTRALIS MACQ., M. VETUSTISSIMA WALKER. 
General Habits. Like M. australis this species lives 
in association with cattle and horses. It is, however, a 
more troublesome fly to man, attaching itself to his person 
and making persistent attempts to reach the eyes. Dr. 
Cleland (1913, p. 565) has described the habits of this fly, 
which is essentially an outdoor species and is very rarely 
found within the house. It has been found in abundance 
feeding on the blood and pus from sores on the heads of 
sheep. If one ventures outside in the warm weather this 
species soon attaches itself to one’s person and that part 
of one’s clothing (especially if black) which is sheltered 
from the wind may be covered with a dense mass of these 
insects. They render themselves especially annoying by 
hovering around and finding their way into one’s eyes, 
nose and mouth. The abundance of the fly makes it likely 
that if epidemic conjunctivitis and trachoma are trans- 
mitted by flies this is the species likely to be incriminated. 
Cleland (1913, pp. 560-2) has referred to the intense 
annoyance experienced by early Australian navigators 
and explorers as a result of attacks by myriads of flies which 
he believed to have been M. vetustissima. He has shown 
that it can feed on dried anthrax blood and that the bacilli 
pass unharmed through its alimentary canal (p. 565). 
Owing to its habits, the species could no doubt set up 
anthrax infection. 
Mr. G. F. Hill, F.E.S., of the Australian Institute of 
Tropical Medicine, Townsville, wrote to us stating that this 
species is responsible for the serious condition of horses’ 
eyes in the gulf country of the Northern Territory. 
Specimens have been collected in numerous localities 
in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Central Australia, 
South Australia, and Victoria by Mr. G. F. Hill. It occurs 
commonly in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and 
Tasmania. We have captured it on board ships travelling 
between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. In the last 
named city, the species occurs in immense numbers in the 
streets, making itself a nuisance to human beings and 
horses. 
Breeding habits. It is an  oviparous species—the 
female laying her eggs in fresh cow or horse dung, usually ~ 
the former, only a limited number, 20 to 40, being deposited 
