Indian Museum h'otes. [Vol. III. 



PARASITIC MUSCID^ EROM BRITISH INDIA. 



BY F. M. VAN DER WULP, 



{with plate I). 



The Trustees of tlie Indian Museum at Calcutta have been so kind as to 

 send me for examination a small collection of Museidse, reared in British 

 India from Lepidopterous larvse and pupse or from other insects* 

 Among them are also typical specimens of Tricholyga bomhycu, Beeher, 

 and of the Taehinid fly, determinated by Bigot as Masicera grandis, 

 Walker. The others, as far as I am able to make out, are undescribed 

 species, and must be considered as fresh additions, to the immense variety 

 of forms belonging to the large group of parasitical Muscidse. 



Although represented merely by unique specimens, I have not hesi- 

 tated to give descriptions and figures, which I hope will be sufficient for 

 recognizing the species. 



It would be of great interest, if every one occupying himself with 

 rearing insects, especially Lepidoptera, did not neglect to take notice of 

 their parasites, and preserved these with the same carefulness as the 

 Lepidoptera themselves. The Trustees of the Indian Museum have 

 given here the example; may it find many followers and helpers ! The 

 advancement of our knowledge on the biology of insects, and in many 

 eases the progress of economic entomology, will highly profit by such a 

 proceeding. 



1. Crossocosmia Sericariee, Rond. 



TJgimyia sericaria, Rond. Bui. Soc. Eut. Ital. II (1870), p. 137 (only 



the larva). 

 „ i, Rond. I. c, p. 223. 



Tachina cilipes, Macq. Dipt. Exot. II, 3 (1843), p. 62, tab. 6, fig. 6. 

 Masicera cilipes, v. d. Wulp, Sumatra Exped. Dipt., p. 36 ' pf ii* 



%.5, (?). ' ' 



J/a««cem ^ra«^«*, Bigot, Indian Museum Notes, I (1890), p. 211 



(nee. Walker). 



Crossocosmia sericaria, Mik, Wien. Entom. Zeilsehr. IX (1890), p. 



309. (Of this paper a translation into English 



is given in Insect Life, IV (1891), p. 113.) 



Of this species I have received specimens from Java, captured by 



Mr. M. C. Piepers, also others bred by him from caterpillars, the name 



of wluch has not been recorded. The flies agree in the most satisfactory 



manner with the ample description given by Prof. Mik. I also have 



examined a typical specimen of the Taehinid fly from British India, 



