96 THE EARLY STAGES OF TABANID^ 



reeds on the banks and in the back-waters, etc., of the Shire River. 

 They often occurred, especially if the mud was inclined to be dry, 

 at a depth of as much as 6 or 8 inches. The locality figured by 

 Neave represents a large fiat sand bank partly covered with Phrag- 

 mites, at the border of a river about 50 feet in width. 



The lower part of the Mwanza River was dried up at the time of 

 Neave's visit, except for a few isolated pools, on the banks of v/hich 

 many larvae of Tabanus biguttatus were found in the mud. Many 

 others were subsequently found in the Ruo valley in November. 



The larva is, according to Neave, of a type which has many repre- 

 sentatives, being of a clear white color, except in individuals about to 

 pupate, with well defined pigmented bands and spots between the 

 segments and on the anal segment (Plate 5, Fig. 69). Several species 

 have larvae of this type, only varying in the amount of pigment and 

 in the distribution of it on the anal segment. 



King's description of larva and pupa follows: 



The larva (Plate 5, Fig. 75, o, b), when nearly hatched, is white in color, but later 

 assumes a grayish to yellowish tinge. 



Mandibles (Plate 5, Fig. 78) black, slightly serrated and with two tufts of 

 curved hairs at the base. 



First thoracic segment anteriorly brown. Laterally placed on the second and 

 third thoracic segments are brown comb-like marks with the four teeth pointing 

 backwards. 



On the anterior portion of each abdominal segment — with the exception of the 

 eighth — are two brown annuli, or rings, encircling the body. The former of these 

 two rings is usually covered by the posterior margin of the preceding segment. 

 The hinder ring bears a double line of fine black hairs and also a number of small 

 fleshy projections or pseudopods. The eighth abdominal segment serves the 

 purpose of a respiratory syphon. Its posterior margin is brown and from its ex- 

 tremity can be extruded a small process terminating in stigmata. A brown 

 curved longitudinal mark is situated on either side of the eighth segment. The 

 anus is placed at the base of this segment. Length 35 mm. 



The pupal case is chestnut-brown in color, with the thoracic tubercles darker. 

 Each of these tubercles bears a spine. The abdominal segments are apically ringed 

 with backward projecting spines. The anal segment terminates in a cluster of 

 six teeth (Plate 12, Fig. 148), the dorsal pair larger than the lateral and ventral 

 pairs. Length 20 mm. 



The pupal aster has been figured by Neave (Plate 14, Fig. 175, 

 a-d); it is of the regular type and the dorsolateral combs have 



