OF WASHINGTON, VOLUME XVIII, 1916 209 



used in drawing the wagons in spraying operations, usually had 

 the benefit of the services of a negro boy whose sole duty was to 

 "swat" the horseflies on their bodies with a broad wooden pad- 

 dle made of a shingle and to keep a smudge 1 burning. 



Tabanus trijunctus was, by far, the commonest species observed 

 in any locality. 



A night-flying species the beautiful pale greenish yellow Tabanus 

 mexicanus Linne, was also fairly common at Kobe Sound, speci- 

 mens being found on the floor in houses in the morning and also 

 being caught flying at 9.30 p.m., C.T. What must be the sen- 

 sation of the poor animals after enduring these pests all day to 

 find another species is ready to continue the annoyance! 



Tabanus trijunctus and T. lineola were also common in build- 

 ings and on animals at Miami Beach, Florida, on May 11 to 16. 

 In the city of Miami they were not noted, although not actually 

 looked for. 



From Miami south to Paradise Key the large species (Tabanus 

 americanus Forster) was occasionally seen. This species which 

 has beautiful light green eyes, when living, is very active and 

 hard to catch. Like T. trijunctus, it is commonly attracted to 

 moving objects, such as trains, automobiles, and wagons along the 

 road. 



None of these horseflies were observed in the woods away from 

 the roads. 



The species T. trijunctus and T. lineola are stated by residents 

 to be present in large enough numbers to be a pest only for a 

 few weeks during the year, usually during the last of March or 

 early April. This year they are unusually late. 



Cats and dogs are greatly annoyed by these flies and become 

 irritable and even sick and thin from their annoyance and by 

 eating them, as they do when they catch them on their bodies. 



In the woods a deer-fly (Chrysops brunneus Hine) is very an- 

 noying to man in the daytime. The "y e H w fly of the Dismal 

 Swamp" (Diachlorus ferrugatus Fabr.) also occurs in southern 

 Florida, and Mr. ( '. A. Mosier of Little River, Florida, gave 

 me a specimen he collected at Buena Vista, Florida. Mr. Mosier 

 also kindly gave me specimens of Tabanus atratus Fabr., T.fronto 

 Osten Sacken, and T. birdiei Whitney the last named species 

 being rare, according to Mr. Greene. Mosquitoes and sand 

 flics were .very troublesome at night on the offshore keys south of 

 Miami. Following is a list of these flies and the locality and 

 date of collection : 



Tabanus americanus Forster, Miami, Florida, May 1'J, 191(5; Paradise 

 Key, Florida, May 14, 1916; Buona Vista. Fla. 



