DIPTERA. 3o 



and mischief at work. The painter having left the room 

 in which he was giving a lesson in miniature painting, 

 returned to find the carefully finished eyes as carefully 

 unfinished again, denuded of all colour in the iris. 

 He cast an unfriendly eye on the pupil's little brother 

 (who had been left alone with the picture), and restored 

 the eyes. Called away again, the unpainting process 

 was partially repeated, and this time the little brother was 

 openly accused, denied the charge indignantly, was be- 

 lieved by his mother, and disbelieved by the angry master. 

 No sooner was the discussion dropped, than casting his 

 eyes upon the miniature, the Artist observed a Housefly 

 busily at work, delicately sucking up with his tiny pro- 

 boscis all that remained of the colour employed in 

 painting the irides. 



And now, having talked for three pages about Flies, it 

 seems time to inquire what is meant by a " Fly" This 

 depends very much upon who is speaking. Being a 

 " popular name " the *' people " have a right to mean 

 what they choose by it, and they avail themselves of 

 this right some meaning by it one thing, some another, 

 some every flying insect for which they know no other 

 name. Thus, " the Fly " of the farmer is usually the 

 little hopping Turnip Beetle ; the " Fly " of the hop- 

 grower is an Aphis ; the " Fly" of the herdsman, a 

 Gad ; while to the citizen, almost anything to be seen 

 with wings (except pigeons and sparrows), is a Fly. 



There are some again to whom Flies are Flies one Fly 

 the Fly the common well-known little black House- 

 fly. Here at last is something definite. No, not even 

 now; for these will at least claim their young Housefly, 

 and their full-grown Housefly, and expect you to be- 

 lieve that late in the year their Housefly takes to biting 



