7C DIPTERA OF MINNESOTA. 



added (one part kerosene to three of fish oil) applied about once a 

 day, would be of benefit ; or grease with a few drops of carbolic acid 

 mixed with it. Many repellaiits are devised and sold, the application 

 of many of them being almost as bad as the attack of the insect, and 

 almost none of them effective where the flies are very numerous. 

 Fishers and hunters sometimes use a mixture of kerosene oil and 

 mutton tallow, greasing the exposed parts with the same. Oil of 

 tar is also used, and a nurhber of others too numerous to mention. 

 One repellant sold some years ago under the name of "Black Fly 

 Cream," and made in Portland, Maine, is said to be good. In 

 anointing animals with the various strong smelling oils, one must 

 use care not to use machine oil or other strong oils, the repeated 

 applications of which are apt to remove the hair. Smudges are 

 resorted to, not only for stock, but also in tents in the woods, and even 

 in houses in localities where black flies are bad. The Hudson Bay 

 Company used to burn pyrethrum powder (Persian or Dalmatian 

 insect powder) in houses and stores, and Dr. Lugger claims to have 

 used this successfully in his trips into the timber. 



Minnesota species as far as collect- 

 ed are as follows : S. vittatiim, Zett. ; 

 5". vcmistum, Say ; 5". irritatuni, Lugger ; 

 ' Lugger ; 6'. ( ?) invenustum, Walker ; 

 5". ( ?) pecuarum, Riley. Williston in 

 1896 stated that this family was repre- 

 Fig. 63. Wing of Simuium, much scntcd by about 75 spccics. At least 



enlarged. After Comstock. ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^ innoxium, is not kuOWU 



to suck blood. There are about 25 species of this interesting family 

 in North America. 



TABANIDAE. 



Variously known as Horse Flies, Breeze Flies and Gad Flies ; 

 these two latter terms being also applied to Oestridae. Some, which 

 are found particularly in the timber, afifecting deer and moose, are 

 called "deer flies" ; some of them we refer to as "green heads". 



To fit these flies for their parasitic habit of preying upon quadru- 

 peds, Nature has equipped them with powers for extremely rapid 

 flight, and they can easily overtake the fastest deer or horse. It 



