12(5 QUEENSLAND TABANID FLIES. 



Burnett Eiver. We do not yet know the complete life 

 history of any one sjoecies, but in view of the importance 

 of the group we have deemed it advisable to publish the 

 following notes on the larval and pupal stages of two species 

 of Tahanus (T. paUi2ie7i7iis Macquart and T. batchelori 

 Taylor) and one of Silvius {S. notatus Ricardo). The 

 identifications were kindly made by Dr. E. W. Ferguson, 

 who examined all the flies which emerged. 



In all cases mud from a similar situation to that in 

 which the larvae were found, was placed in the jar with 

 them. This mud contained numerous delicate red 

 Oligochaetes as well as small dipterous larvae (Tipulidse) 

 which probably ser\'ed as food for the Tabanids. 

 Tahanus circumdatus Walker. 



Though this is bj- far the most common March fly 

 locally, we did not find its larva or pupa. 



The female genitalia are of the usual Tal^anid type. 

 Each ovary contains about sixty follicles. The oviduct 

 of each side, as well as the common oviduct, are very 

 short since the ovaries are situated in the apex of the 

 abdomen. The accessory glands are elongate thick organs, 

 while the three spermathecae are very long fine tubes 

 doubled back on themselves so that, in their natural 

 position, the slightly-expanded tips lie near the junction 

 of the ducts with the common oviduct. 



Though a large number of females l^elonging to this 

 species A\'ere dissected, very few were found with large ova, 

 and even in such cases it was usual to find only one or 

 two well- developed ova in each ovar^^ The almost mature 

 egg measures 1.8 mm. b}' 0.4 mm. Captured females 

 kept in cages for varying periods of time up to thirty days 

 have failed to oviposit or to exhibit any further develop- 

 ment of ova. 



Ferguson and Henry (1919, p. 846), record this as 

 being the commonest species at Kendall, N.S. Wales, and 

 as one Avhich hves well in captivity. 



Tabanns paUipennis Macquart. 

 (Text-figures 1 to 3). 

 Four large lar\aj were collected in wet mud in the 

 bed of a creek on 14th October, 1919, one being preserved 

 (fig. 1) while the other three were allowed to pupate in a 



