REPORT ON THE PADI-BORER. 79 
larva is a small white maggot, which is either laid in or on 
the body of the rice-borer, and which lives inside its body 
and soon destroys it. 
Description. 
Order, Diptera. Family, Muscidee. 
Tachinarice. Genus and Species, (?) 
Larva.—Milk white and semi-transparent. Skin shiny, the 
anterior and posterior quarter of each segment armed with 
minute brown thorns. Cylindrical, with the head not distinct 
from body; which is abruptly terminated posteriorly and 
conically anteriorly. On last segment a pair of warm brown 
stigmata. Mouth furnished with two black hook-lke organs. 
Length of a full grown one, that I extracted from a dead padi- 
borer, 4 inch, and diameter $th inch. 
The thorns on the body of the maggot are evidently the 
means of locomotion inside the body of its host. In two padi- 
borers that I opened, the head of the maggot was towards the 
tail of its host. The larva is very difficult to kill; withstand- 
ing immersion in spirits for a period of two and a half hours. 
Pupa.—Cylindrical, with rounded ends, of a warm brown 
colour. Length ,%th inch, and ,°,th inch in diameter. 
The insect continues inthe pupa state from twelve to 
thirteen days. 
Imago.—Head silvery grey with red brown eyes and black 
bristles. Antennze with three joints, of which the last is the 
largest, a single long hair projecting from near base of third 
joint. Palpi consist of a single joint. Above, thorax black 
with grey stripe on each side and two others on the dorsal 
aspect. Scutellum grey except central portion, which is black. 
Abdomen black, with three silvery transverse stripes, partly 
interrupted on the median line. Hairs on abdomen black, 
conspicuous on the two last segments. Wings hyaline, irides- 
cent, unmarked; halteres covered by large milk white scales. 
Beneath wholly black, except three faint grey transverse 
stripes on abdomen. Legs black. Length 4th inchand ;§th 
inch across wings; the female is a little larger. 
