36 W. A. LAMBORN. 



purpose that the operation only occupied a moment of time. It then punctured 

 several more pupae, no special region being selected. In several instances it returned 

 to a pupa previously punctured and again thrust in its ovipositor through a different 

 perforation. Hitherto no more than one of these Chalcids has been bred from a 

 single pupa. 



The precise relationship of Stomatoceros to G. morsitans is still undecided. In the 

 case of four specimens bred recently, two of the Glossina puparia certainly contained 

 cocoons of a Mutilla, but the two others contained remains of a Glossina imago. 

 On the 7th October a Stomatoceras was seen to oviposit in two puparia, and on care- 

 fully chipping these a Mutilla cocoon was seen within. In seven other puparia from 

 which Stomatoceras emerged, one showed unmistakable signs of a Mutilla cocoon ; 

 three were empty, except for unrecognisable debris ; and three contained remains 

 of morsitans, in one case a fully developed fly being completely hollowed out. A 

 possible explanation of these facts is that a pupa once attacked by a Mutilla may be 

 hyper- parasitised by the Stomatoceras at any stage in the development of the former.* 



Parasitic Bombyliids. 



No results have so far attained my efforts to ascertain definitely the part played 

 by the various parasitic species in reference to morsitans. Large numbers have been 

 caught during the last couple of months at the few spots where flowers are now to be 

 found, and some have been kept alive in captivity up to three weeks, so that I expect 

 to be able to settle the question later. 



Breeding Season. 



There has been no definite cessation in the production of pupae throughout the dry 

 season, though very small numbers only have been obtained from a long series of 

 captured flies. Emergence has occurred throughout. Now, as the dry season draws 

 to a close, pupae are being produced more freely. 



Relationship of the Fly to the larger animals. 



Having worked mainly in districts where some game is constantly to be found, one 

 is perhaps hardly in a position to express an opinion as to whether or not its presence 

 is vital to the fly, but it is a frequent experience that an abundance of flies usually 

 indicates the presence of game or that game has recently been in the neighbourhood. 

 I believe that a habit of following herds of game is the explanation of a fact known 

 to all who travel frequently in fly areas, namely, that on some days, when the air is 

 perfectly still, flies are met with in abundance, whereas a day or two later perhaps, 

 under the same conditions, only a few may be met with. In passing along open roads 

 with a breeze blowing the numbers of the fly hovering round seem to me to some 

 extent to be determined by the direction of the wind, the flies scenting one better 

 with a following or head wind than when the breeze blows directly across one's path. 



*[A more probable explanation is that the Stomatoceras is a super- parasite or competitive 

 direct parasite of the Glossina which by its quicker development can beat the MutiUa, 

 and may indeed incidentally attack the larva of the latter. — Ed.] 



