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AMERICAN NATURALIST. 
Vol. VII.— APRIL, 1873.— No. 4. 
cL DS 
A VIVIPAROUS FLY. 
BY REV. SAMUEL LOCKWOOD, PH. D. 
—_— Oe 
Tue question, which is the mother of the chicken, the hen that 
laid the egg, or the hen that hatched it, would have no place in 
casuistry if all hens produced their chickens ready made. And 
there is a great deal of difference between the fly that lays simple 
eggs, and the one that brings forth living grubs. Thus it was, 
that what we beheld on the 15th day of June had for us all the 
novelty of a new sensation. The day was very warm, and I was 
about leaving my study, when my attention was drawn to a peculiar 
looking fly on the window. As it was quite large, it occurred to me 
that it would make a nice morsel for the tree toad in the fernery ; 
so the intruder was captured, and I was about presenting the prize 
to my pet with goggle eyes, but an open countenance, when a sud- 
den change came over my mind; for in the palm of my hand ap- 
peared what I took for eggs of an elongate form. My pocket lens 
at once showed me that these were not eggs, but real, live mag- 
gots, each about .06 of an inch in length; and there, right under 
own eyes, even in my hand, the parent fly was busily depositing 
these little squirming things. The fly continued emitting the 
grubs, almost without cessation, in numbers varying from one to . 
three at a time. They were very active, twisting themselves into 
animated knots, each containing from three to six individuals. 
The entire number of grubs emitted was sixty-one; although it 
may possibly have been more, as I could not find out whether 
Scores according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by the PEABODY ACADEMY OF 
CE, in the Office of the Livkxtian of Oo ngress at Washington. 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. VII. 13 (193) 
