178 
A CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE 
HIPPOBOSCIDAE (DIPTERA PUPIPARA). 
By G. F. FERRIS, M.A. and F. R. COLE, M.A., 
Stanford University , California. 
(With 20 Text-figures.) 
CONTENTS. 
PAGE 
PAGE 
Introduction. 
. 178 
Genus Melophagus .... 
191 
Technique. 
. 179 
Melophagus ovinus ovinus L. 
192 
Figures. 
. 180 
Melophagus ovinus montanus n. sub-sp. 
192 
Acknowledgments 
. 180 
Genus Olfersia . 
194 
Genus Lipoptena .... 
. 180 
Olfersia americana (Leach) . 
194 
Specific characters 
. 180 
Genus Pseudolfersia . 
19(3 
Sexual dimorphism . 
. 181 
Pseudolfersia spinifera (Leach) 
190 
Larvae . 
. 181 
Genus Ornithomyia . 
199 
Lipoptena depressa (Say) 
. 182 
Ornithomyia avicularia (L.) . 
199 
Lipoptena mazamae Rondani . 
. J85 
Genus Stilbometopa . 
201 
Lipoptena traguli n. sp. . 
. 185 
Stilbometopa imprcssa (Bigot) 
201 
Lipoptena subulata Coq. . 
. 187 
Genus Ornithoica . 
203 
Lipoptena cervi (L.) . 
. 189 
Ornithoica promiscua n. sp. . 
203 
Genus Allobosca .... 
. 189 
References. 
205 
Allobosca crassipes Speiser 
. 189 
Introduction. 
The approach to the study of the ectoparasitic flies of the pupiparous family 
Hippoboscidae has heretofore been almost entirely by way of the conventional 
methods of the Dipterists. In other words, descriptions have been based 
almost exclusively upon pinned specimens. Consequently these descriptions 
have, for the most part, considered only the conventional subjects of colour, 
wing venation, size, shape, form of the claws and a few of the more obvious 
chaetotactic characters. A few descriptions have been based upon alcoholic 
specimens and these descriptions are decidedly better than those based upon 
pinned specimens, although they still leave something to be desired. 
It is probable that the greater part of the specimens of Hippoboscids in 
collections are of the pinned type and it is the belief of the present writers 
that however satisfactory such specimens may be in the case of representatives 
of the other families of Diptera they are not adequate for the proper study of 
the Pupipara. In nearly all the members of this group the abdomen is so soft 
that it becomes greatly shrivelled in pinned specimens and practically none 
