GLOSSINA INVESTIGATIONS IN NYAS ALAND. 47 



I take this opportunity of expressing the opinion that no definite result whatever 

 can be obtained by the measure. The fly area is continuous with large areas in 

 North-Eastern Rhodesia. The territory is very extensive and sparsely populated, 

 and the game, if severely harassed, will retire to Rhodesia during the dry season, when 

 only it is possible to hunt, returning in the wet, and probably bringing more flies 

 with it.* As professional hunters have informed me, this movement is known to 

 occur with the larger game, elephant in particular. 



A very small party of white hunters is likely to be available, so that, so far as I can 

 see, the only outcome will be unlimited and free shooting for the few fortunate people 

 who happen to be within easy reach of the game country. 



SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT. 



Resting Habits of Glossina morsitans. 



The resting habits of the flies, as described in my last report, have been further 

 studied at Monkey Bay, at Rifu, and other localities with a view to ascertaining 

 whether any trees other than the three species favoured by the flies near Monkey 

 Bay are utilised. It has been found that, though baobabs are certainly preferred, 

 any other large tree will serve. In the neighbourhood of Rifu baobabs are absent. 

 It seems that large trees only are utilised, for no flies have been found resting other 

 than momentarily on the thorn and other bushes which make up so largely the wooded 

 country occupied by the insects. 



The stomach contents of ten lizards captured on baobabs in the fly area were 

 examined, but in no case were tsetse remains found. 



Attempts have been made to take advantage of the resting habits of the 

 flies by fixing in the recesses of various baobabs on all sides sheets of brown 

 canvas-backed paper smeared with birdlime, and well protected by thatch from 

 smi and breeze. A few flies were caught by this means, but the results were 

 disappointing. 



Thatched shelters, birdlimed on the inner side, w^ere also put up close to the trees, 

 some high up on poles, others at a lower level, but no results were obtained, nor were 

 many flies caught when such shelters were carried during the heat of the dav in fly 

 infested country. 



Artificial Breeding Places. 



Results have now been obtained. At Lingadzi, as already reported, twelve trees, 

 ten of which were of the same species, were felled in August last and arranged as 



*[ln this connexion the result of a very similar experiment iu Southern Rhodesia is 

 worth noting. The fly areas in the Mafuugabusi district wore recently thrown open to 

 indiscriminate shooting for one year. At the end of that period the Government 

 Entomologist visited the locality in order to report on the rvsults ; he found that no 

 appreciable diminution of the game, with the exception of elephant, was yet apparent, 

 and the tsetse appeared to be still extending its range in continuance of the movement 

 noted during the past eighteen yeai-s. — Ed.] 



