SEPSIDJi, SYKPHID.E 583 



Aphiochaeta ferruginea, Brim. 



This small fly belonging to this family is of an orange-ochreous colour, the 

 upper part of the thorax tawny, and with dark bands on the abdomen, legs pale 

 yellow, the hind femora tipped with dark brown. It measures only 2 to 3 mm. in 

 length. This insect is shown by Austen to be widely distributed in the tropics, 

 being found in India, Burma, West Africa, and Central America. The larvae breed 

 in decaying animal matter, such as putrid meat, decomposing shell-fish, etc. 



Heusner bred out sixty-three flies from larvae taken from an Indian's foot. 



Baker (Proc. Burma Branch Brit. Med. Assoc., 1891, p. 11-16) found that 

 the maggots of this fly were passed per anum by a European at intervals during 

 a period of ten months. Baker found that the larvae fed on human faeces ; from 

 the egg stage to the deposition of eggs from the resultant brood of flies occupied 

 twenty-two days. He concludes that they are capable of propagating, and do 

 so while living within the human intestines. He also records the larvae in two 

 girls. 



The larva does not seem to have been described, but Austen describes the pupa 

 (Trans. Soc. Trop. Med. and Hyg., iii, No. 5, p. 229). 



Phora rufipes, Meig. 



The larvae of the "hump-backed fly" live in rotting potatoes, mushrooms, 

 radishes, etc., and when accidentally introduced into the intestine of man can, 

 like other larvae, live there twenty-four hours and even more, and may set up serious 

 gastric disturbances. 



P. rufipes is the same as P. pallipes, Latr. 



Family. Sepsidae. 



Small blackish flies, elongate, with abdomen narrowed at the base, thickened 

 and curved downwards towards the extremity. Larvae often found in decaying 

 vegetables, ham, cheese, etc. The larvae have the power of skipping ; conical in 

 form, pointed in front, truncated behind, about 5 mm. long, shiny and smooth, the 

 anal segment with fleshy protuberances. The genus Piophila has a short proboscis 

 and the cross-veins of the wings approximate. 



Piophila casei, L. 



Cheese flies. The larvae live in ripe cheese, with which they are sometimes 

 introduced into human beings (Meschede). 



The larvae of the cheese flies (Piophila casei} may pass through the alimentary 

 canal of human beings alive, and have been occasionally referred to in cases of 

 internal myiasis. It also breeds in dead bodies in adipose tissue. Howard records 

 it on human excrement. It is thus possible that some of the recorded cases of this' 

 pest being passed alive may be due to eggs deposited on human faeces. 



Family. Syrphidae (Hover and Drone Flies). 



Amongst the large family of Syrphidce is found a section known as the Eristalince 

 or drone flies, whose curious long-tailed larvae are popularly called " rat-tail 

 larvae," on account of the end of the body being drawn out into a long telescopic tail 

 of two segments, at the end of which are placed the breathing pores. These larvae 



