5 
first lot of larvae. They were chiefly full-fed, and some of them 
pupated during the next two or three days. Continuing my search 
further I also found numbers of larvae and pupae, in the still older and 
quite cold deposits, some of them were only a few inches below the 
surface, others were deeper down ; they sometimes occurred singly, 
in other cases several were found together, some were mature, others 
only partly developed. On disturbing the newer deposits they 
naturally gave off the strong smelling fumes characteristic of heated 
grass, and this produced a result which I had neither hoped for nor 
anticipated. A female Stomoxys was seen to alight on the hot and 
freshly disturbed grass and to quickly disappear among the interstices, 
there she remained for a minute or so and then flew away. The grass 
was carefully examined, and amongst it, at a depth of nearly three 
inches, were found a number of her eggs. A regular succession of 
females then followed, and very soon three of them were engaged in 
laying their eggs in a small area which could have been covered with a 
crown piece ; the first-comer being not in the least disturbed by a 
companion running completely over her body. In all cases the 
abdomen was depressed, and pushed into the material as far as 
possible, and in two instances the wings were partly extended, in 
order, apparently, to secure a firmer support. One female remained 
in the same spot for five minutes, and then changed her position to 
another a few inches away. A second female was occupied for twelve 
minutes in laying her eggs, but she did not change her position during 
the time. All three females flew away immediately afterwards, and 
did not seem in any way weakened by the process. For how long 
they survive in a state of nature it is impossible to say, but some 
females that were caught immediately after egg-laying died on the 
fourth or fifth succeeding days. Some females which were caught in 
glass tubes as they alighted on the grass laid their eggs immediately 
afterwards, and these also survived until the fourth and fifth days 
Reference has already been made to the almost noiseless flight of 
these flies when disporting themselves over and about their favourite 
haunts during the heat of the day. But 1 found that when the females 
were negotiating the habitat previous to laying their eggs the noise 
was distinctly audible, and resembled the characteristic hum produced 
by other muscids. 
