PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 21, NO. 8, NOV., 1919 187 



which Tabanids had been observed, had an unusually heavy 

 crop of fruit; the blooms were in the open and not shaded; pos- 

 sibly they were pollenated by the Tabanids. The males of 

 Tabanus lugubris, T. atratus and T. lineola seemed to feed more 

 after the leaves had been removed. All these species were com- 

 mon, feeding on the fruits of the palmetto. There is a waxy 

 exudation from the ripe palmetto fruit. 



During the late autumn and early winter several species of 

 Tabanus were observed. On November 28 and 29, 1918, the 

 region 11 to 16 miles southwest of Paradise Key on Ingraham 

 Highway was visited. Quite a few adults of Tabanus atratus 1 

 and some adults of T. lineola were observed. A span of mules 

 working on the highway were annoyed by these flies and the 

 cook at the dredge working on the road, southwest of Paradise 

 Key, stated that the species came into the house frequently, 

 although not in such great numbers as Tabanus trijunctus, T. 

 americanus and T. turbidus. 



On December 6 two adults of T. atratus were seen at Paradise 

 Key and several adults of T. lineola were observed during the week. 

 Adults of Chrysops were very persistent and annoying. 



Mosier noted that T. atratus and T. lineola adults occasionally 

 were seen as late as December 12; all were females. They oc- 

 curred oftener on the prairie and near water than within Royal 

 Palm Hammock (Paradise Key). These gadflies are found 

 around mules when they are going through the hammock on the 

 road. On December 12, Mosier saw a Tabanid struggling in the 

 water. No males of either species had been observed for some 

 time. 



There was a heavy rain on the morning of December 15, which 

 was very unusual for this season. A few adults of T. atratus and 

 lineola were very persistent in attacking Mosier; a few were 

 around the house but they were mostly on the road through the 

 prairies. These are unusually late dates for any Tabanidae. 

 However, occasional adults occur at Paradise Key during all the 

 winter months. In 1918 there was an abnormal autumn; Mosier 

 noted on December 15 that willow (Salix amphibia) was in bloom, 

 Icacorea, and Erythrina arborea, the harbinger of spring, was 

 budding and would soon be in bloom. Saw palmetto, which 

 bloomed in April in 1918, was putting out buds. Some live oaks 

 were just shedding their acorns. Mastic that shed leaves in 

 February, 1918, was nearly through shedding on December 15. 



Water covers the saw grass prairies of the Lower Everglades 

 intermittently throughout the year after heavy rains; the lower 

 sloughs are often completely inundated for long periods. 



1 Identified by C. T. Greene, of the Bureau of Entomology. 



