8 



.t wholt:' year, ami soiiietiiiies nu)i'e; ami as x^ven an approach to 

 the conditions of the natural habitat and food of the larva is 

 difficult to attain and perpetuate for any length of time by 

 artilicial means, the rearinoj of the various species under ob 

 servation ean not be otherwise than a very tedious undertaking. 



V^arious conmiou names, such as horsetlies, gadtlies, deer^ 

 tlies, doi^-tiies, earfiies and woodtlies,* ar-e applied to these in- 

 sects in different sections of the "(>-uitr>'. The\- ])(^lonir to a smarlfe 

 family called Tabanida', and all of them are of medium to 

 large size, with wings either transparent or clouded, or spotted 

 with black or brown. 



'Hiey are of especial interest to the economic entomologist, 

 the farmer and the stock raiser on account of their blood-suck- 

 uig propensities and the injury and annoyance they cause tf> 

 domesticated animals on account of this habit. Not only are 

 horses attacked, but (tattle, hogs and sheep as well, although the 

 latter are more or less protected by their wool, which to some 

 extent acts as a blanket over most of their bodies. 



All through the group the males and females are easily 

 distinguished from one another by the eyes, which in the male 

 sex are united on the front of the head, while in the female sex 

 there is a rather narrow s{)ace on the front of the head sepa- 

 rating the eyes from one another. It is worth while to be able 

 t(^ tell the sexes apart, for. like the mosquitoes, it is only the 

 females that suck blood, or, in other words, that are troublf;- 

 scme to stock. The males, and, under certain circumstances, 

 the females also, live on the nectar of flowers or the juices of 

 plants, or on other sweet li(iuid or semi-liquid substances. 



These flies are usually troublesome only when the sun is 

 shining, or at least after- t^iglit o'clock in the morning. They 

 rest on foliage or trunks of trees, on posts, stumps, fences or in 

 other ineonspicuous j>laces during the night and early morning 

 hours, and then come forth in myriads as soon as the sini warms 

 the atmosphere, to get a meal of blood frimi any animal that 

 conies in their way. and it seems that the hotter the sun the 

 more active they are. and the more injury and annoyance they 

 cause to farm animals. 



♦According to Mr. Harper I>eau. .Jr.. the term "Mayflies" is applied \a 

 parts of Virginia to certain species of Chrysops. 



