NOTES AND QUERIES. 431 



to the ' Entomologist ' (1874, p. 137), and our ever kind old friend, 

 the late Edward Newman, had no hesitation in naming the parasite 

 Oniithomyla avicularia, as Mr. Austen has done, and who has kindly 

 added the interesting note on the metamorphosis of the fly. My 

 limited experience, however, does not exactly coincide with the remark 

 that this species " appears to occur indiscriminately in the plumage of 

 most wild birds." I have seen it in the plumage of several of the 

 birds in the list following the above quotation, as Blackbird, Song- 

 Thrush, Green Woodpecker — and I may name the Jay — but in very 

 isolated cases ; whilst, on the other hand, the Long-eared Owl is 

 seldom obtaine 1 without some specimens of the fly being present. I 

 have never seen it upon any other Owls, and had ignorantly supposed 

 it was almost confined to Asio otus. Its short flights and peculiar 

 manner of progression, especially amongst the soft loose plumage of 

 the bird in question, is sure to strike the observer when once seen, 

 and it is very interesting to know something of its highly remarkable 

 life-history. I should also like to know if other observers have noticed 

 its partiality for the Owl, or is it a local peculiarity ? I can safely say 

 I have seen scores upon the plumage of this particular bird, but I 

 have detected but few upon any other species ; and I formerly secured 

 this and other bird-parasites for the microscopical work of my friend 

 the late Eev. H. G. W. Aubrey. — G. B. Corbin (Ringwood, Hants). 



