738 REPORT OF NEW JERSEY STATE MUSEUM. 



NEMOTELUS Geoff. 



N. carbonarius Loew. Avalon VI, 8, Anglesea VII, 4, Cape May VI, 14. 

 N. crassus Loew. Lenola V, 30. 



OXYCERA Meigen. 



O. maculata Oliv. Merchantville VI, 28, Clementon V, 30, Lenola (Jn) ; 

 Egg Harbor VII, 10 (Coll). 



PACHYGASTER Meigen. 

 P. pulcher Loew. Avalon VII, 22. 



Family TABANID^. 



These are moderate or large species, popularly known as "horse-flies," 

 but locally and referring to special types, also as "gad-flies," "deer-flies," 

 "ear-flies," "golden-eyed flies," "strawberry flies," etc. They have short, 

 broad heads, enormous, often gaily colored eyes, flattened abdomen, and 

 short though many-jointed antennae. The mouth parts consist of a series 

 of sharp, pointed lancets, four in the male, six in the female, inclosed in 

 a soft, fleshy labella or lip. The males live on plant nectar, and do not 

 "bite," but the females attack animals of all kinds and are often a 

 serious annoyance to stock. They frequent woods or the edges of wood- 

 land, low meadows or marshy places, and, as Mr. Daecke interestingly 

 shows, the species are often present in very limited areas. They are 

 often troublesome in wood roads, because, with three or four of these 

 flies buzzing about, horses may be driven almost frantic; and so sharp 

 and rigid are the mouth structures that blood appears almost as soon as 

 the insects strike. The species along shore are usually light in color, 

 the eyes green, whence the term "green-heads" that is applied to them. 

 The larger species of "Tabanus" do not often attack man, but the species 

 of "Chrysops" are frequently troublesome in the woods. 



In some localities the flies are a serious pest to stock, and in such 

 places much good can be done by collecting the flies. There are also a 

 few animals that are especially liable to attack, and from such the flies 

 can be collected with a small net in such quantities as. to materially 

 reduce the supply. As each female fly may lay from 200 to 500 eggs, the 

 effect upon the future generations will be decidedly marked. The attack 

 may be even concentrated on a few gentle animals by treating the others 

 with fish oil soap, to which a little crude carbolic acid has been added. 



The larvae are elongated, somewhat flattened creatures, living in the 

 mud along water courses and in swamps, and they feed upon the organic 

 material found in such places. Clearing and draining will gradually re- 

 duce breeding places as the lands are brought under cultivation. 



The present list has been prepared by Mr. V. A. E. Daecke, who has 

 made a special study of the species of this family, and in general, when 

 not otherwise credited, the records are his, as are also the changes made 

 in nomenclature from the previous edition. 



