NOTES ON BIOLOGY OF SOME MUSCOID FLIES. — JOHNSTON. 85 



Though it is readily attracted to decomposing animal 

 matter we have not yet observed it ovipositing nor have we 

 bred it out from carrion. 



Patton (1922b), who recognised this fly as belonging to 

 Fabricius' species, described the larval stages and mentioned 

 that the larvae hatch out in about 24 hours in India. Though 

 various stages in the related Indian blowflies, Chrysomyia 

 bezziana and C. nigriceps, have been described by Patton 

 (Ind. Jour. Med. Res. 8 (1), 1920, pp. 17-29 ; 1922b), the times 

 occupied by them are not mentioned. 



Neopollenia stygia F- 



The golden-haired blowfly, known also as Callijjhora 

 villosa, occurs very commonly during the winter months in 

 Western Queensland. It becomes less abundant in September 

 and diminishes in numbers as summer approaches, when it is 

 seldom seen. Froggatt reports it as being prevalent in New 

 South Wales sheep-country from September onwards well 

 into the summer. He states that it is common throughout 

 the year in Sydney. 



We have not kept records of the developmental periods 

 of this fly. Froggatt (1915, p. 20) states that the time required 

 for the egg to develop into a fly in summer in New South 

 Wales averages a fortnight. 



Paracalliphora augur L. 



This blowfly is known under a variety of names — Callvphora 

 oceanice, C. augur, Anestellorhina augur, etc. The genus 

 Paracalliphora was erected for it by Townsend (Canad. Entom. 

 48, 1916, p. 151). 



The fly is quite common in Brisbane during the winter 

 (May onwards), increasing as N. stygia begins to diminish, 

 but it is not abundant in summer. It is capable of depositing 

 either eggs or maggots and at times both may be deposited 

 on the same occasion. Eggs usually hatch out in about six 

 hours in Brisbane. The larval feeding period is about 4 days, 

 while the resting stage occupies about 5 days except during 

 winter when it is usually 6. 



R.S. — G 



