REPOET OF THE ENTOMOLOGISl. 303 



specimens Professor Eiley has described the species, in a recent number 

 of the Canadian Entomologist, as Tachina aletiae. 



During the season of 1879 many of tb.pse parasites have been bred. 

 The latter part of July Mr. Trelease forwarded a quantity of parasitized 

 larvae Horn Dawson's Station, Ala., with the following note : 



July 24, 1879. 

 I mail you to-day a box coutaiinng some 95 pupae and -weLbed-up larvae of Aleiia. 

 * * * I find nearly oue-balf of the larvae from one-third to two-thirds grown bear- 

 ing small white eg^s on their backs. (It is only for the last few days that I have no- 

 ticed this, but it has probably b^en the case with this entire third brood.) These 

 eggs are of two sizes. The larger are usually, i)erhaps always, deposited singly on the 

 dorsum of one of the thoracic segments of the larva, and placed transversely or ob- 

 liquely. They are elongated, oval at the two ends, Ijut more often bluntly rounded. 

 Their length averages about 8'^"", their breadth 2'""". They are very slightly flattened 

 on the surface by which they are attached. Sometimes, when no egg can be seen, a 

 discolored mark of the size and shape of the egg is seen on the back of the larva ; in 

 other cases a discoloration below the skin of the thorax appears to show the presence 

 of a parasite larva. The smaller eggs are also white, and measure about 6"™ by 2""", 

 from which you will see that they are broader proportionally, and consequently more 

 oval than cylindrical. They are slightly more flattened on the under surface as a rule. 

 These are deposited on the side and back of the head and thoracic segments, and vary, 

 in the cases so tar noticed, from one to four in number ; sometimes, where there are 

 several, being scattered almost in contact with each other. 



These eggs were fastened very firmly to the back of the larvae, and 

 were all so placed that the victim could by no exertion reach them with 

 its jaws. In some cases they appeared to be even sunk beneath the 

 skin, and Mr. Trelease records the fact in a later letter that he has seen 

 the skin shed without the egg being also cast off. The adult flies, from 

 these specimens sent July 24, began to issue September 1. This, taken 

 in connection with the fact that the specimens reared in 1878 issued in 

 November, would seem to argue three broods a year for this species of 

 Tachina^ the last two broods certainly destroying many cotton-worms. 



An examination of the specimens issuing from this lot of worms re- 

 vealed two individuals of a new species of TacMna^ differing from T. 

 aletiae in several respects. We draw uj) the following description: 



Tachina fraterna, n. ep. — Length 6°"". 



Color. — General eifect nearly black ; head, face, and facial depression silvery white, 

 inclining slightly to golden on occiput ; antennae, 1st and 3d joints black, 2d joint 

 testaceous; palpi testaceous; pubesence behind the head blackish; thorax, second 

 and following abdominal joints ashy ; thorax with two plain longitudinal black stripes 

 and two indistinct; first abdominal joint black above, ashy beneath; femora piceous ; 

 tibiae and tarsi nearly black. Eyes finely pubescent. In other respects resembling 

 T. aleliae, Kiiey. Described from two specimens. 



Flesh-flies {Dipt, family Sarcophagidae, genus SarcopTiaga). — 

 From general appearance it would be impossible to separate a flesh-fly 

 from a Tachina fly, and only by the help of a lens is it possible to dis- 

 tinguish them; the i)rincipal difference being that in the family now 

 under consideration the style of the antennae or anteunal bristle is plu- 

 mose or hairy, although naked at the tip, while in Tachinidae it is naked 

 throughout its length. These flies have long been considered remarka- 

 ble on account of their viviparous habits. The eggs are long and deli- 

 cate and hatch quickly. If the female is unable to find a suitable place 

 to deposit them within a given time after fertilization they hatch within 

 her body, and we have the phenomenon of a viviparous insect. The 

 ovaries are large and arranged in a spiral manner, and De Greer is said 

 to vouch for the development of 20,000 larvae in one female, The dis- 



