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SOME N0TE8 ON THE BIONOMICS OF THE BUFFALO- 

 FLY {LYFEROSIA EXIGUA de Meijere). 



By Gerald F. Hill, F.E.S., Government Entomologist, 

 Northern Territory of Australia. 



(Plate liii.) 



The Buffalo-fly, under which name it is best known to stock- 

 owners in the Northern Territory, is well-known as an important 

 pest, owing to the annoyance and suffering it causes to cattle and 

 horses, and to the loss in condition so (jften observed in stock 

 grazing upon fly-infested country. 



The greater number of individuals of this species and the 

 longer period of their seasonal occurrence make Lyperosia a 

 more formidable pest than the largei- and more voracious blood- 

 sucking flies of the genera Tabanus and Silvius, both of which 

 are well represented in this country. 



During the early part of the wet season (November and De- 

 cember) certain species of Tabanus, notably T. n'ujritarsis Taylor, 

 are responsible for perhaps more annoyance to horses than is 

 caused by Buflalo-flies during these months. The actual loss of 

 blood due to these larger Tabanids is, no doubt, considerable, 

 and this, combined with the fact that horses, in particular, are 

 kept in a constant state of motion from before sunrise until ofter 

 nightfall, accounts in a large measure for the poverty of stock in 

 certain localities at a season when pasturage is most abundant. 

 But Tabanidaj do not attack abraded surfaces, sores, or the sites 

 of recent bites, as Lyperosia does; hence, after a momentary 

 flinch or a kick as the skin is pierced, little notice is generally 

 taken of the fly by the host. The species which dash at their 

 victim with most noise are more dreaded than the more sluggish 

 species. 



