120 THE LADY BREEZE-FLY. 



I have frequently seen a train of pack-mules com- 

 pletely scattered by these formidable pests. 



The largest and fiercest is the Black Breeze- 

 fly (Tabanus atratus). His body is like glossy 

 black velvet, frosted over with a delicate white 

 bloom, like a freshly-gathered Orleans plum ; 

 it is about an inch in length; the wings, like 

 pale blue gauze, when at rest are always kept 

 in a horizontal position; the alulets are large 

 and strong. The eyes are exquisitely beautiful, 

 in colour dark-blue, but glittering with the lustre 

 of highly-polished gems, and nearly covering the 

 entire head. 



The next in size is the Belted Breeze-fly 

 (Tabanus cinctus\ about one- third smaller than 

 his sable brother. He is clad in bright orange 

 livery, banded with stripes almost black; and 

 has a most showy appearance, being decidedly the 

 best dressed fly of the family. The eyes are 

 emerald green, and, when viewed in the bright 

 sunlight, have the appearance of being cut into 

 numerous facets. 



The third or smallest is the Lined Breeze-fly 

 ( Tabanus lineatus}, of a bluish colour, and marked 

 only with a white line along the top of the head. 

 In this fly the eyes are of bluish-green, and 

 uuite as beautiful as in the two preceding. 



