142 PROCEEDINGS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



road; this habit resembles that of the flower flies (Syrphidae) . 

 Occasionally the flies dart towards one another after hovering, 

 and rarely two can be observed clinging together, and after a 

 short period rapidly dart away. Mr. Hosier's opinion is that 

 this is a mating flight. Birds do not disturb the flies, possibly 

 being alarmed by the noise. 



On March 27, observations were again made and conditions 

 during the flight were similar. During the night of the 27th, it 

 was noted that there was no flight, ooservations being made at 

 12.10 and 3.15 a.m. At 1.20 a.m. on March 28 no adults were 

 flying. At 4.09 a.m. I arose, went into the hammock in the 

 dark and carefully noted the exact time when the flight began; 

 this was at 4.44 a.m. and was at its height for 15 minutes and then 

 waned and ended at 5.03. There was quite a little low-lying 

 fog on the morning of the 28th. The buzzing appeared to be 

 not as loud as on the 27th. 



On the morning of the 28th, at about 10.30, a heavy thunder 

 shower came up and there were showers until late in the afternoon. 

 I was in a hammock at Long Key about 5 miles northwest of Royal 

 Palm Hammock, during the rain and noticed that afterwards the 

 flies were especially persistent in attempting to jab one. At Royal 

 Palm Hammock on our return when Mr. Mosier and I were chang- 

 ing our wet clothes in an open shed they were several times 

 successful. 



The morning of the 28th was damp and chilly and the flight 

 began a little later and was not as strong; the flight began at 

 4.46 and adults were flying until 5.04; hence the flight was of 

 slightly shorter duration. During the day of the 29th, which 

 was partly cloudy, adults of this Tabanid were very annoying 

 in the hammock. They congregated about our tent,, in a shed, and 

 swarmed about moving vehicles along the road. Mules ,were 

 clothed in closely fitting but not tight gunny sacking for protec- 

 tion only a partial protection! On the morning of the 29th a 

 male of Tabanus americanus was found among leaf mold on the 

 forest floor. Males in this species and other Tabanidae are rare. 



In general, during the day time this horsefly is the common 

 species along roads and in the hammocks; in the latter locality 

 it rests on the tree trunks and only flies when disturbed or when 

 quarry comes along. These large Tabanids are very annoying 

 while collecting in the hammocks; the bite or prod feels like a red 

 hot needle. Mosquitoes and deer flies (Chrysops spp.) make a 

 veil and gloves necessary, especially if one stands in one place 

 for any length of time. 1 Heavy flannel army shirts, khaki riding 



1 The Seminole Indians have descriptive names for horseflies and mos- 

 quitoes; these insects doubtless are very annoying to the Indians; ()-he- 

 aw is mosquito and Chil-lock-o-do-no means horsefly. 



