112 



The Baluchistan Melon Fly. 



Carpomyia pardalina, Bigot. 

 (Indian Museum Notes, Vol. II, No. 7, 1891-93, p. 51.) 



This curious fly, which is very closely allied to the Mediterranean fruit-fly, 

 was discovered and bred by Mr. J. Cleghorn, who found them in Peshin at an 

 elevation of 5,000 feet, where they were infesting the young melons and were 

 most injurious toward the end of summer. He gives a very interesting 

 account (" Miscellaneous Notes, Indian Museum," page 24, vol. II) of its life 

 history, and says he is of opinion that the hard winters kill the majority of 

 the hibernating pupre, so that it is after a mild winter that the insect is 

 chiefly abundant. 



The following is a translation of Bigot's technical description of this fly, 

 specimens of which I examined in the Calcutta Museum : "Length, male 

 4| mm., female 5^r mm. with the ovipositor. Eyes brilliant, bronzy green ; 

 head with antennae, proboscis, and palpi pale fawn colour, long bristles, 

 blackish, the antenna! bristle black with white at the base. Thorax pale 

 fawn, front of the thorax with two very narrow reddish lines, behind whitish, 

 with four large shiny black rounded projecting spots on each side of the 

 dorsal surface ; the scutellum with three large spots situated on the side, and 

 one small median blotch all alike ; the long bristles black ; legs pale fawn 

 colour, thighs of forelegs rather thickened, with several brownish hairs 

 beneath. Abdomen pale fawn colour, the base of the segments greyish, 

 brown. Wings hyaline, with three large fawn transverse bands, the one at 

 the extremity divided into a V, of which the outward branch turns round 

 the tip of the wing ; all the margins of the bands greyish, particularly the 

 one at the tip of the wing. 



" Female resembling the male, with the ovipositor reddish, short, and 

 blunt." 



According to Maxwell Lefroy (" Indian Insect Pests," 1906), its life history 

 has been worked out in the Report of Lala Vishwa, Entomological Assistant, 

 Punjab. 



Genus TRYPETA, Meigon. 



(Illigers Magazin, Vol. II, p. 277, 1803.) 



This genus contains a number of very handsome flies remarkable for the rich 

 coloration of their wings and bright-coloured eyes. In many species they 

 have the body clothed with scattered more or less stout blackish bristles, and 

 very little pubescence. The larvae live in vegetable matter, the female by 

 means of her pointed ovipositor depositing her eggs in the tissue of the plant, 

 and a number of them produce curious galls. There are a number of species 

 peculiar to Australia, and two species are known as fruit pests. 



The Mexican Fruit Fly. 



(PL III, fig. 12.) 



Try pet a ludens, Loew. 



( Monograph of the Diptera of North America. Part III. Smithsonian 



Misc. Coll., No. 256. Washington, 1873, p. 223, PJ. 11, fig. 19.) 



This fruit-fly was known many years ago among the Mexican fruit-growers 



as an orchard pest, attacking the orange, mango, guava, and other fruits. It 



appears to be a native of Mexico, but its exact home has never been decided. 



Until the growing of oranges became a profitable industry and an export 



trade sprang up in the United States, little or no notice was taken of its 



