234 TH E INSECTS 



the chigoe, nigua or jigger. The male is unimportant. The female, 

 which when unimpregnated is only about 1/24 of an inch long, when 

 impregnated bores its way into the skin of man, especially about the 

 toes, soles of the feet or finger nails, and in the chosen site develops 

 enormously, becoming as large as a small pea. A small black spot in 

 the center of a tense rather pale area is characteristic. The abdomen of 

 the female is filled with eggs. The metamorphosis is similar to that of 

 the flea. Sarcopsylla can be differentiated from the flea by the pro- 

 portionately larger head to the body, and especially by the fact that the 

 head is the shape of the head of a fish, distinctly pointed. With the 

 fleas the lower border of the head comes out in a straight line to join 

 the curve of the upper part. In the Sarcopsylla lower and upper 

 border of head are both curved. 



Tabanidae. 



This is the family of horseflies or gadflies. It is the most numer 

 ous family of the Diptera there being more than 1000 species. 

 The females are blood suckers; the males live on flowers. They are 

 large and stockily built. The eyes are usually very brilliant in color, 

 and in the male make up the greater part of the head. The eggs are 

 laid on leaves; the larva is carniverous; the pupa free. 



Tabanus autumnalis. Is about 3/4 of an inch long; it is dark in 

 color, and has 4 longitudinal bands on the thorax. The last joint of 

 the antennae has a crescentic notch. The wings do not overlap. No 

 spurs at tip of hind tibia. 



Haematopota pluvialis. In the Haematopota there is no 

 crescentic antennal notch, and the wings overlap. The abdomen is 

 narrower than in Tabanus. They also have spurs on hind tibia. 

 The brimp, one of the Haematopota, bites man severely. 



Pangonia beckeri. The genus Pangonia is characterized by a 

 very long, slender and more or less horizontal proboscis. 



Chrysops dispar. Chrysops and Pangonia have spurs at tip of 

 hind tibiae. The wings are widely separated and spotted. The 

 antennae of Chrysops are especially long and slender. Chrysops and 

 Haematopota produce the greatest amount of pain from their bites. 



