118 MAJOR E. E. AUSTEN. 



At Hadrah Dam, R. Auja, on 29. iv. 1918, when, as already recorded, a $ of 

 5. eqtiinum was taken apparently ovipositing, the stones in the bed of one of the sluices 

 were seen to have numerous small Simulntm larvae on them. 



No adults of Simulhim were observed in Palestine in 1917, but on 9th June in 

 that year larvae were found on stones in running water in the Wadi Shanag (the 

 upper part of the Wadi Ghuzze), at Bir Esani, by Lt.-Col. Richardson, D.S.O., 

 R.A.M.C. Similarly, in the Wadi Ghuzze itself near Tel el Fara, in a rapidly flowing 

 channel issuing from a pool, the writer noticed a few Simulium larvae on stones, 

 on 31st July 1917. There can be little doubt that several species of Simulium. in 

 addition to the two recorded above, occur in Palestine, and that the genus will be 

 found to exist wherever the presence of running water affords the conditions necessary 

 for breeding. 



Family PSYCHODIDAE. 



Genus Phlebotomus, Rond. 



Phleboiomus papatasii, Scop. 



Probably abundant during the hotter months in every town and village in 

 Palestine, besides being widely distributed in the open country. 



The small amount of material of this species which the author succeeded in bringing 

 home in safety consists of :— 2 SS> ^ ??. Deir el Belah, 8 miles S.-W. of Gaza, 

 13.vih.l917, in corners of an " E.P." tent, 10.30 a.m. ; 1 $ (abdomen distended by 

 eggs), Deir el Belah, 22.viii.1917, in circular tent (alongside earth bank surmounted 

 by cactus hedge) in which a case of " sand-fly {Phlebotomus) fever " had occurred ; 

 1 $ Deir el Belah, 8.ix.l917— both sexes numerous in upper corners of E.P. tent, 

 used as ofhce by 14th Coy. (A.T.) R.E., in palm grove at No. 14 Well ; 2 (^c?. 2 ??, 

 Bir ez Zeit (13 miles N. of Jerusalem), 22.vh.1918, in house— at least 5 ?? seen m 

 dark, ceUar-like basement of one house, and a number more specimens of both sexes 

 (one? full of partly digested blood) in a dark, open cupboard in a room on first 

 floor of another dwelling ; 1 ?, Ft Tireh (about 5 miles N.N.-E. of Ludd), in corner 

 of dark gi'anary ; 1 $, Mulebbis, 2.vih.l918— with another specimen, in corner 

 of packing shed at orange grove. 



More than one of the females enumerated above, which has the wing fringes, 

 especially those on the costal margins, decidedly dark, apparently belongs to 

 Newstead's " Dark form."* 



In July and August 1917, the occurrence of a number of cases of sand-fly fever 

 in the E.E.F. at Deir el-Belah caused attention to be directed to Ph. papatasii, which 

 was at that time common in many places in dug-outs and tents, in the case of the 

 latter, especially such as were pitched in the palm groves near the wells or close 

 to banks of earth crowned with cactus hedges. Efforts to find breeding places 

 failed, though possibly lizard holes, more particular!)' the burrows of Agama stellio, L. 

 (" Hardun" of the Arabs), the large repulsive-looking lizard so common about 

 cactus hedges in Palestine, may be among the sheltered retreats serving the insects 

 as nurseries. At Deir el Belah, 13.viii.l917, at 10.30 a.m., the writer found 

 Ph. papatasii abundant in an E.P. tent, situated in a garden close to a well and 

 occupied as sleeping quarters by enginemen working the pump at the latter. The 

 insects were in numbers in the upper corners of the tent, sheltering behind the 

 valances and at the back of framed photographs hung across the corners ; there were 

 also several inside helmets and coats hanging on the. tent-pole. Both sexes were 

 present, ??, the majority of which were gorged with blood, perhaps sHghtly 

 predominating ; over 20 specimens were caught in tubes with little difficulty. At. 



* Newstead. Bull. Ent. Res., ii, p. 73 (1911). 



