SARCOPHAGIIXffi. 139 



comprising but comparatively few genera, has a greater number 

 of species and individuals. For the most part the species are 

 tolerably uniform in coloration, and at first sight seem scarce- 

 ly distinguishable, having a gray striped thorax and marmorate 

 abdomen. The more metallic colored species of Cynomyia and 

 Onesia are exceptions. The flies are found everywhere, about 

 decaying vegetation, especially fruit, excrement, decomposing 

 carcasses, etc. 



The larvae are polyphagous in habit, feeding upon decaying 

 animal or. vegetable matter, or living parasitically in the flesh 

 of different animals, in the nasal cavities of man and other 

 animals, in ulcers, etc. The larvae of Cynomyia live in great 

 numbers in the decomposing carcasses of vertebrate animals. 

 The larvae of Sarcophaga, which are often extruded by the 

 parent fly alive, have been found under the skin of turtles, in 

 the stomach of frogs ; and most of the cases of myiasis that 

 have been reported, other than those due to the larvse of 

 Compsomyia and Calliphora, have been caused by the maggots 

 of the species of this genus and those of Sarcophila. The 

 larvae of several species have been found in snails, in beetles, 

 the pupae of moths, etc. 



The Sarcophagid larvae are rounded, thinner anteriorly and 

 amphipneustic. The antennas are short, thick, cylindrical, 

 divergent, wart-like tubercles, each with two ocellus-like chit- 

 inous rings at the tip. The mouth-booklets are distinct, 

 strongly curved, and separated from each other. The abdo- 

 minal segments are distinctly differentiated by transverse 

 swellings, and are each provided with a girdle of spines. The 

 hind stigma-plate is situated in a deep cavity, which is formed 

 by the last segment alone. The anal swelling is two-pointed. 

 The puparium is oval. 



TABLE OF GENERA. 



1. First posterior cell closed or very much narrowed in the margin. 2 



First posterior cell open. 4 



