Further reports (no. 5) on flies as carriers of infection.

Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Further reports (no. 5) on flies as carriers of infection. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/30 (page 15)
    (^) Cf. The British Mecli(.*al JournaJ, Marcli 9, 1901. C’) Cj. The Journal of Jjaryjigology, Bliiuology, ami Otology, Vol. X., pp. 2m, 207 (1896). ('f. C. lloNDANi, Atti Soc. It;il. So. Nat., ])p. 191-195 (1865). (8.) An Account of the Bionomics and the Laev.e of the Flies Faniiia* (Homaloviyia) canicularis L. and F. scalaris Fab., AND their relation to Myiasis of the Intestinal AND Urinary Tracts. By C. Gordon Hewitt, H.Sc., F.E.vS. JJie two flies Fannia cnnicAdarU Linn, and F. scalaris Fab. are, on account of their habits, of considerable economic impor- tance in their relation to man. It is therefore desirable that those engaged in public health and medical work should be acquainted with the breeding and other habits of these flies which thev are certain to meet in their work under circumstances of varying importance. The inquiry of which this account is the result was undertaken for the Local Government Board but, owing to my removal from England to Canada in 1909 and sub- sequent pressure of work, its completion has been delayed. These two species of flies belong to the dipterous family Anthomyidce, many of wLich resemble the house-fly (M. domes- tica) in appearance. They are characterized chiefly by the contiguity of the ej^es of the male, the comparatively large squanife, or lobes, on the posterior sides of the bases of the wings, and the open first posterior or apical cell of the wing.t Most of the larvae, or maggots, feed upon decaying vegetable or animal substances. Without close examination the two species under consideration are liable to be mistaken for the same species but such an examination will serve to separate them. The abdomens of both species are conical but the basal segments of the abdomen of F. canicularis (in the male) are partially translucent and tlie abdomen of F. scalaris is black overspread with bluish grey; the mid tibiae of the latter species bear a distinct tubercle which is not found in F. canicularis (Fig. 1“). Tlie Tjcsser House-Fly, Fannia canicularis 7>. This species is the less common of the two species of flies usually found in houses during the summer months. Its occur- rence and frequency are, however, very variable and no valid explanation has been found so far in my investigations to account for this variability. F. canicularis, however, is more abundant ^ By the rules of priority the generic name Fa)inia, of Robineau Desvoid}^ 1830, which he gave in his “ Essai sur les Myodaires,” will have to replace Bouche’s genus llomalomyia^ to wFich genus these species are usually referred but which was not created until 1834. f See Fig. 4 in “ First Report on Flies as Carriers of Infection.” (Reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects, New Series No. 5.)