504 OTHER BLOOD-SUCKING FLIES 



of the disease could be destroyed, and that the tsetse flies would 

 disappear if their main source of food were cut off. 



Domestic animals are, however, quite as suitable for tsetse 

 flies to feed upon as are wild game and there is ample reason to 

 believe that the flies would be able to subsist on small forest 

 mammals, birds, crocodiles, etc., in the absence of other food. 

 Even if all the wild game were destroyed, and domestic animals 

 excluded for many years, enough flies would survive to reestab- 

 lish the scourge with the subsequent introduction of domestic 

 animals. The destruction of the rich and varied, and indeed 

 unique, wild life of Africa is a measure so radical, so contrary 

 to our present growing determination to save the irreplaceable 

 handiworks of nature, and, to be sure, so inhuman, that it cannot 

 be advocated or even tolerated until absolutely proved to be an 

 effective, and the only effective measure. 



Stable-Flies (Stomoxys) and Their Allies 



Belonging to the family Muscidse in company with the house- 

 flies, blowflies and tsetse flies, are a number of other biting flies, 

 most important of which are the stable-flies, Stomoxys, especially 



FIG. 239. Stable-fly, Stomoxys calcitrans. X 5. 



the common species, S. calcitrans (Fig. 239), which makes itself 

 annoying and often dangerous in nearly every part of the world. 

 It is chiefly a persecutor of domestic animals, but is very willing 

 to attack man when opportunity is offered. 



The stable-fly in general appearance so closely resembles the 

 housefly, Musca domestica, as often to be mistaken for it, whence 



