THE "NO-SEE-UM" OR "PUNKIE." 171 



ing to find a suitable spot to insert their long proboscis. 

 They usually select places where they are protected by hairs, 

 and soon cause the blood to flow over the infested area. 

 When filled with blood they drop to the ground, being al- 

 most too heavy to fly. Other flies of the same kind, at- 

 tracted by the blood, are sure to add to the previous injury, 

 and soon large sore spots are the consequence, which are al- 

 ways crowded with new and hungry insects. The^^ can, when 

 numerous, make the infested animal perfectly wild and un- 

 manageable, and those that can reach water invariably 

 make for it, so as to escape their tormenters. Man does not 

 escape, though in his case usually only the exposed part, the 

 head and hands, can be bitten. 



This fly belongs to a family of insects w^hich are, as a 

 general rule, plant-feeders, and some species of Oscin'ts are 

 known to be very destructive to our small grains and to our 

 vegetables. Whether the early stages of this "Yellow-legged 

 Oscinis" are also passed as vegetable-feeders the writer does 

 not know, but it is very likely that such is the case. 



THE "NO-SEE-UM" OR "PUNKIE." 



( Ce'ratoj)ogon S2)ec. ) . 



This is another fly that is very aggressive, attacking 

 man and domesticated animals w^herever it can. It is well- 

 named by our Indians the "No-see-um," being so very small 

 that it can only be felt but not seen. It is a mere speck of 

 matter, and it is diflicult to understand how^this small being 

 can harbor the vast amount of "cussedness" it is known to 

 possess. As the illustration (fig. 142) shows, it is well 

 equipped w4th a biting mouth, and those that have ever 

 visited the northern lakes and woods know from experience 

 that the insect knows how^ to apply this tool. Whenever 

 these flies light upon the hands and face they immediatelj' 

 insert this proboscis in the flesh, and judging from the burn- 

 ing sensation these bites cause, a large amount of poison 

 must be injected at the same time. Where these tormenters 

 abound the finest scenery loses its attraction, and the disap- 

 pointed visitor leaves the spot with some forcible expressions 

 — if not spoken with his lips they are nevertheless thought. 



