The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia 1 03 



instrument to its greatest depth. The blood starts from the wound 

 immediately, and continues to flow for a considerable time : this is 

 an attraction to other flies, in great numbers, many of which lay 

 their eggs upon the wound. 



From the figure and description, it is unquestionably a Pangonia, 

 a genus largely represented in South Africa, and is not very far 

 from P. barbata, Wied., a Cape species. It is not in the British 

 Museum, and Mr Frederick Smith seems to think it is probably 

 new. It has nothing to do with the Tsetse (the Glossina morsitans), 

 which belongs to a totally different section of flies, and does its 

 mischief in a totally different fashion. The pain caused by the 

 bite of the latter is trifling, not more than the slight itching 

 irritation caused by the bite of a mosquito. That of the fomier 

 puts every one to flight. Here is Baker's account of his personal 

 experience : 



" My giraffe was not quite dead, and the throat having been cut by the Arabs 

 and Richard, we attempted to flay our game : this was simply impossible. 

 The Seroot fly was in swarms about the carcase, thousands were buzzing about 

 our ears, and biting like bull-dogs : the blood was streaming from our necks, 

 and as I wore no sleeves, my naked arms suffered terribly. I never saw such 

 an extraordinary sight ; although we had killed our giraffe, we could not take 

 possession ; it is no wonder that camels and all domestic animals were killed by 

 this horrible plague, the only wonder was the possibility of wild animals resist- 

 ing the attack. The long tails of the giraffes, are admirable fly-whippers, but 

 they would be of little service against such a determined and blood-thirsty 

 enemy as the Seroot. They were now like a swarm of bees, and we immedi- 

 ately made war upon the scourge, by lighting several fires within a few feet to 

 windward of the giraffe ; when the sticks blazed briskly, we piled green grass 

 upon the tops, and quickly produced a smoke that vanquished the enemy." — 

 (p. 196.) 



It appears that this peculiar fly, which tortures all domestic 

 animals, invades the country shortly after the commencement of 

 the rains, when the grass is about two feet high ; and more parti- 

 cularly infests the flat and rich table-lands, where the quality of 

 the grass is totally different to that produced upon the pebbly and 

 denuded soil of the higher sandstone slopes. So long as moisture 

 continues it prevails, but as soon as drought returns its reign is 

 over. No sooner does the grass turn yellow than it disappears, 

 and its presence may thus be dated from about loth July to loth 

 October. 



Of plants we do not learn anything that is new. The prospects 

 of the introduction of valuable new fruits and vegetables from 

 Abyssinia are not bright. Sir Samuel speaks of the hegleek 



