150 AFRICAN NATURE NOTES CHAP. 



inhabiting different parts of Africa but to Glossina 

 morsitans alone, which, so far as I am aware, is the 

 only species of tse-tse fly as yet known to occur in 

 Africa to the south of the Zambesi river. 



In the countries farther north, men of great ex- 

 perience have expressed the opinion that there is 

 no connection between tse-tse flies and buffaloes 

 or any other kind of wild animals. Writing on 

 this subject, Sir Alfred Sharpe has recently stated, 

 in the course of an article published in the Field 

 newspaper for November 2, 1907 : 



So far as Africa north of the Zambesi is concerned 

 (i.e. British Central Africa, North -Eastern Rhodesia, 

 Portuguese East Africa, the south-west portion of German 

 East Africa, and the south-east corner of the Congo State), 

 I am able to speak with some experience, having spent 

 twenty years in those regions. The results of the last 

 few years' careful observation have led me to a decided 

 opinion that the existence of tse-tse is not dependent on 

 wild game of any description. Tse-tse (mostly Glossina 

 morsitans in British Central Africa), when it has the 

 opportunity, sucks the blood of all such animals as it can 

 get at in tracts of country in which it exists, but I think 

 that blood is an exceptional diet (as in the case of the 

 mosquito). 



The great experience which Sir Alfred Sharpe 

 has enjoyed in British Central Africa which 

 territory he has so ably administered for many 

 years entitles any views he may express on any 

 subject concerning that country to the very greatest 

 respect ; but it must, nevertheless, be said that 

 the conclusions he has arrived at concerning the 

 requirements and life-history of the tse-tse fly (of 

 the species Glossina morsitans], in the countries 

 lying to the north of the Zambesi river, in which 

 his observations have been made, are diametrically 

 opposed to the teachings of history throughout 



