OF WASHINGTON', VOLUME XIX, 1917 145 



APPENDIX TO A PECULIAR HABIT OF A HORSE FLY (Tfllxni //x (imericanus) 



IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES. 



March 30. Dawn fair, flight not so strong, but lasted until sun- 

 rise. 



March 31. Dawn fair, flight stronger than on 30th. 



April 1 to 7. Flight continued normal; noticed a few of another 

 species of Tabanid. 



April 8 to 9. Absent from park, no observations. 



April 10 to 14. Noticeable diminution of volume of flight. Ob- 

 served many of the flies during day especially during early 

 morning hours feeding on flowers, counted from 5 to 34 on 

 various small sweet bay trees, also on coco plum, myrtle and 

 salt bush, which are in bloom. 



April 15 to 22. Feel sure that these flies feed on flowering plants 

 in absence of animal life, have been standing beside road 

 where most flowering plants are and observing them leave 

 the plants for mules and negroes as teams pass. Have 

 observed closely and think they are feeding on nectar rather 

 than pollen. Veranda screens trap them by the thousands, 

 have left screen down open late evenings and early mornings 

 they dart about striking the screens until they drop exhausted, 

 we have to sweep the veranda floors every day to get rid of 

 them. 

 This other species is far more numerous than T. americanus. 



April 23 to June 30. Other Tabanid abundant, no flight of this 

 insect as in case of T. americanus; only scattering specimens 

 of T. americanus appearing now. 



July 14. First appearance of brown Tabanid. 



July 15 to August 23. Only occasionally the other Tabanid and 



brown Tabanid not as common as former years. 

 Unable to observe any Tabanids depositing eggs or mating. 



Have found few large Dipterous exuviae in leaf mould while 



picking up palm seed: believe these to be Tabanid exuviae but 



am not certain. 



March 30 to August 23, 1917. Koyal Palm Hammock, Paradise 

 Key, Bade County, Florida, C. A. Mosier. 



Pi, ATI-: XV. 



Fig. 1. Site of C. A. Mosier's camp at Royal Palm Hammock. 

 Fig. 2. Royal palm tree overlapping other hammock trees. 



PLATE XVI. 



Fig. 1. Royal Palm Hammock seen from the prairie. 



Fig. 2. Royal Palm Hammock, Ingraharn Highway, near Mosier's camp. 

 Tabanu* mnericanus was abundant hovering over this road at 4.45 to 5.05 

 a.m. only. 



