48 THE EARLY STAGES OF TABANID^ 



Chrysops dispar lays its eggs, as do all the small species of tabanids 

 observed by these authors, invariably on blades of grass just at the 

 edge of a shallow stream, or on the leaves of the lotus plant at the 

 edges of small ponds, but never over deep water. 



In Madras the smaller species of tabanids always lay their eggs in 

 the afternoon, commencing about 4 p.m. Chrysops dispar has been 

 seen ovipositing as late as 7 p.m. An egg mass of this species, on a 

 blade of grass, and also a single egg, is figured by these authors (Plate 

 1, Figs. 14 and 15), but no description of the larva is given. 



The larvae of the smaller species of tabanids (including Chrysops 

 dispar) contain no air sacs, according to these authors, and if they 

 fall into deep water they die. It is important to recognize this in 

 breeding experiments and to place them in trays with only a little 

 water. 



Pat ton and Cragg's text-book contains notes on smaller species of 

 tabanids some of which may apply to this species, but are not clearly 

 referred to it. 



Chrysops indus Osten Sacken.— This species is recorded from New 

 Jersey, New York, Canada, and Ohio. According to Hine, it appears 

 in Ohio usually by the middle of May. It is the first species to 

 appear in the spring and females have been observed ovipositing on 

 plants growing along the margin of a small lake on the University 

 grounds in Columbus, Ohio. The eggs are placed in single layers on 

 grass blades that hang over the edge of the water. 



Chrysops longicornis Macquart. — This is an African species, the 

 early stages of which have become known through the work of Neave 

 (1915). The species is the most abundant of the genus in the neigh- 

 borhood of Mt. Mlanje, southern Nyasaland, where Neave's investi- 

 gations were carried on. The flies prefer well wooded localities and 

 Neave thinks it probable that all stages exist throughout the year. 



The larvae were first discovered at the end of August, 1913, and to 

 Neave's surprise, in view of the habits of the adults, were found in 

 the mud of a small marsh and stream bed in an open spot with only 

 comparatively thin woodland near it. Many other examples were 

 subsequently taken, both in similar places and in less unexpected 

 spots on the banks of wooded streams, etc. Except for an occasional 



