34 



THE SPE(MKS OF HORSEFLIES KNOWN TO OCCUR IN 



LOUISIANA. 



Most of tlic species of hoi'scflies thus far taken in the State 

 Avere colleetec] l)y Mr. Newell and liis assistants, Messrs. Hardy, 

 Xiarrett, Ma.i-tin and Flyim. dnriii*:' the sunnner of 1905. Some, 

 liowever. wert^ taken in foniier years by Prof. E. L. Moseley, 

 of Sandusky. Ohio, who has a plantation in West Carroll Parish, 

 ai:d a nnnihef of s]»ecinieiis have been reeeived from Mr. Charles 

 W. Johnson, of the Huston Society of Natural History. The 

 writer has also eolleeted in the southwestern part of the State 

 in two ditferent seasons. As stated, the species taken belong to. 

 two genera. (Uinisopa and Tdlxnins. The first includes the small 

 flies eonniiordy called eartlies. woodfiies oi- similar names, whilst 

 the latter includes the others, all of which are larger in size 

 H'he h(u-seflies pi'opcM- belong to tile genus Tahdtiuii, and are 

 nadily distinguished from the species of CJiri/sops. cm account of 

 larger size and the absence of small spines at the end of the 

 posterior tibia'. 



CHRYSOPS FLAVIDUS Wiedemann (Brown Earfly). This is per- 

 haps the most common member of this genus on the Louisiana gulf 

 coast, and it has frequently been taken in other parts of the State. 

 The species is almost uniformly brownish all over, but some irregular 

 •dark markings are present on the abdomen, and there are four narrow 

 gray stripes on the thorax. The two sexes are much alike, except that 

 in the male the brown markings of the wing are more extensive. The 

 wing in both sexes is lirown and subhyaline. 



The following observations made by Mr. Newell serve to give an 

 idea of tlie imi)ortance of this fly: 



"At Cameron, on .lune 9, 1905, 1 found a number of specimens 

 inside the slat-work around the cistern at the Gulf Biologic Station. 

 This was about 5 o'clock in the evening. A few were also found on 

 the walls of the Station l)uilding and on the outside of the window 

 screens. About twenty specimens were caught. Just after sundown 

 I went out through the long grass to the beach, and while in the 

 grass plat was attacked by at least a dozen specimens. They do not 

 "isuzz around preliminary to biting, but sail right in like a hornet, 

 ■and bite as soon as they alight. They show no fear when making 

 -an attack and can be caught easily when they have once alighted on 

 clothing or flesh. The bite is painful, often followed by a slight 

 swelling and a severe itching. During the middle of the day they are 



