THE ANTHOMYIA FLIES 



(Family Anthomyiidce.) 



The flies of this family also as a rule belong to the house-fly 

 type. They are generally rather small but of unpronounced color. 

 It is a very large family and a most difficult one to study and the 

 flies themselves are singularly unattractive in general appearance. 

 Nevertheless, the habits of many of the species are of interest and 

 they feed not only upon decaying vegetable matter but also upon 

 growing plants and a few prey upon the eggs of grasshoppers. 

 Such a wide variation in habit suggests that structural characters 

 will eventually be found v/hich will split up this large family. 



Fig. 97. — Homalomyia brevis. (Author's illustration.) 



Several species will be found mentioned in medical works under 

 the head of " myiasis interna" and in these cases they have been 

 taken into the stomachs of human beings with spoiled vegetables. 

 They frequently retain their vitality and issue alive with the faeces. 

 The insects commonly known as little house-flies (Homalomyia 

 canicularis and H. brevis) frequently seen in houses on windows 

 belong to this family. They breed in decaying vegetable 

 material and dung. The so-called onion-fly (Thorbia ceparum) 



