BREEZE FLIES AND GAD FLIES. 



751 



The figure which is here given represents a female, the male 

 being much smaller. The whole of the thorax and body is 

 yellow, except the end of the abdomen, which is black. The 

 wings are brown, with the exception of a patch of yellow to- 

 wards the tip. The insect inhabits the Celebes. 



There is a large group of Diptera, scientifically termed 

 Tabanidie, and popularly known as Breeze Flies, Gad Flies, 

 or Clegs. Their months are developed into a piercing appa- 

 ratus, which is so powerful that it can be driven through the 

 tou'di skin of cattle. These 

 insects attack man as well 

 as beast. They made my 

 life a burden to me in the 

 New Forest, until I repelled 

 them with paraffin, even 

 driving their beaks through 

 thick woollen clothing. 



Our species are bad 

 enough in the way of an- 

 noyance, but some of the 

 foreign species are very 

 much larger than ours, and 

 have proportionately power- 

 ful means of offence. One 



of the most important genera of these Hies is Pangonia, several 

 examples of which will be given. The first is Pangonia fulvi- 

 thorax, a native of Brazil. 



The ground colour of this insect is shining black-brown, but 

 the thorax is covered with a dense coating of golden yellow 

 down, having a silken gloss, and looking something like yellow 

 velvet. The abdomen is without the down except at the end 

 and on the sides, where the yellow hairs are rather sparingly 

 planted. The wings are shining brown. 



Fie. 491. — Pangonia ftilvitiiorax. 

 031aek, with yellow down.) 



On Plate XX. Fig. 1 is shown Pangonia longirostris, a native 

 of India. 



Its colour is brown, like that of our common Drone Fly, barred 

 with yellow. Its specific name signifies "long-beaked," and, 

 indeed, the proboscis is so long in proportion to the body, that 



