(ESTRlMJ. 
651 
As already mentioned the classification of Tachinids is still in the 
making. The Indian species have not yet been seriously studied, and 
except for van der Wulp’s catalogue, which gives references to previous 
work, there is no special literature to which reference can be made. The 
student of the Calyptrates will find a standard work in Brauer and 
Bergenstamm’s 44 Die Zweiflugler des kaiserlichen Museums in Wien ” 
Parts I—IV, but he may experience some difficulty in using it. A good 
deal of useful information will be found in Townsend’s 44 Taxonomy of 
the Muscoidean Flies” (Smithsonian miscellaneous collections, 
Washington 1908). As to the number of species of India, it will certainly 
proveto be very large. Van der Wulp records between forty and fifty, 
but a large proportion of these will be placed in different genera when 
the revision of the family is undertaken. The best known are two para¬ 
sites of the silk-worm, Crossocosmia sericarice , Bond., and Tricolyga bom- 
bycis , Bech., of which an account will be found in I. M. Notes. Milto- 
gramma duodecimpunctata, V.d.YV., is there recorded as being a parasite of 
the locust Acridium peregrinum, Oliv., but it seems to be so rarely found 
in this connection as to be quite inefficient as a check. PI. LXVIII 
gives a good idea of the general appearance of typical members of the 
family. 
(ESTRIDJE. 
Rather large flies , sometimes furry and having a slight resemblance to bees. 
The mouth-parts small or rudimentary ; antennae short and incon¬ 
spicuous. Wings sometimes clouded , venation generally similar to 
Muscidce. Ovipositor sometimes large. Squamce usually large. 
This family is of one of considerable importance, for its members 
are all parasites in the larval stage on warm-blooded animals, and 
include the 44 Bot-flies ” whose larvse live generally in the stomach, and 
the 44 Warble flies ” whose larvae are usually found under the skin, 
where they cause swellings known as “Warbles.” Miss Ormerod 
(Ind. Mus. Notes) estimated that no less than 48% of the hides exported 
from India were damaged owing to the holes caused by these larvae. 
The eggs of nearly all (Estrids are probably laid on the skin of the 
animals attacked, which may be horses, cattle of all kinds, donkeys, 
sheep, camel, and a variety of wild animals. The eggs themselves are 
usually provided with a curious clasp at one end which anchors them to 
the hair on which they are laid ; those shown in fig. 426 were taken from 
