4§2 THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 



Subfamily Sarcophagin^: (Sar-coph-a-gi'nae), 

 The Flesh flies. 

 These flies resemble those of the preceding subfamily in 

 general appearance, but differ in having the bristle of the 

 antenna plumose or hairy at the base ; the outer end of the 

 bristle is bare. They are called flesh-flies because many of 

 them lay their eggs on the bodies of dead animals, resem- 

 bling in habits the Blow-fly, which belongs to the sub- 

 family Muscinae. The larvae of other species live in dung, 

 in decaying vegetable matter, and in fruits. 



Subfamily DEXIIN.E (Dex-i-i'nae). . 

 The Nimble- flies. 

 In this subfamily the bristle of the antenna is plumose 

 or bristly to the tip, and the- -dorsum of the abdomen is 

 bristly. The legs are usually long. These flies are much 

 less common than the members of the allied subfamilies ; the 

 larvae of some of the species, at least, are parasitic. 



Subfamily MUSCIN.E (Mus-ci'nae). 

 The Typical Muscids (Mus'cids). 



With these flies, as in the preceding subfamily, the bris- 

 tle of the antenna is pubescent or plumose to the tip; but 

 the abdomen is not bristly except near the tip. Here be- 

 long many of the best-known members of the Muscidae; 

 among the more important ones are the following : — 



The House-fly, Musca domestica (Mus'ca do-mes'ti-ca). — 

 This is the most familiar representative of the order Diptera, 

 as it abounds in our dwellings. It lays its eggs in horse- 

 manure, a single female laying from one hundred and twenty 

 to one hundred and sixty eggs ; the larvae become full- 

 grown in from five to seven days, having molted twice ; the 

 pupa state lasts from five to seven days. 



The Stable-fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Sto-mox'ys cal'ci- 

 trans). — This species resemble the House-fly in appearance ; 



