sa 
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
Pup of the following four species of Muscid flies were collected 
and examined during the summer in order to ascertain the percentage 
infection :-— 
| 
Species. | Number examined. | Number parasitized. Percentage. 
M. domestica Ss. ul 76 64 84 
M. Fergusoni es s. 214 84 39 
M. velustissima ee ak 16, 11 73 
M. terreregine ad oe 83 16 73 
Total ‘ re 386 175 | 45 
In addition to the house fly and cattle flies just mentioned, many 
others, including the stable fly and certain blowflies, became parasitized | 
and destroyed while in the pupal condition. 
(2) Nasonia brevicornis (Girault and Sanders). 
The first record of the presence of this tiny chalcid in Australia was 
made by A. Giraulf in 1913, who discovered it in Brisbane in 1911. [t 
was first bred out from a sheep-maggot fly by E. Jarvis (1913), who 
obtained it from Central Western Queensland. In 1914, W. Froggatt 
called attention to the parasite as one which was destroying he pupie 
of various blowflies, including the main sheep-maggot fly. In con- 
junction with his son and T. McCarthy, he published accounts of its 
habits, and also of the work done at the experimental station in New 
South Wales, where the insect was bred up for widespread distribution 
as a means for controlling blowfly infestation of sheep. Similar work, 
controlled by the Institute of Science and Industry, has been in progress 
for a considerable time near Roma, Queensland. 
Mr. Froggatt reported that from 2 to 75 of these wasps had been 
bred from parasitized blowfly Rabe the usual number being between 25 
and 26. The maximum number found by us was only 18, the usual 
number being about 9 or 10. 
(3) Chalcis calliphore (Froggatt). 
This chalcid was described from the Hay district of New South 
Wales by Mr, W. Froggatt in 1916 as a black wasp, about the size of a 
house fly, with reddish-yellow antenne, oval shining red-brown abdomen, 
and with thickened hind legs. It is a hardy species, which breeds readily 
in captivity, a single insect killing and emerging from each parasitized 
pupa. The insect attacks one of the blowflies while the latter is in the 
active maggot stage, and apparently does not prevent its pupation before 
death. 
j (4) Dirrhinus sarcophage (Froggatt). 
This rather large chalecid (6 mm. long), which is about the size of a 
large house fly, has been recently described by Mr. Froggatt (1919) as 
parasitizing the pupe of the “common flesh fly” (Sarcophaga auri- 
frons). It has highly modified hind limbs, which are used to enable 
the wasp to burrow into the loose soil to reach the pup» lying an inch 
or more below the surface. 
310 
