LOUISIANA CIKCI-I.AK No. (i. 



1.5 



THE LIFE HISTORY OK TIIK BLACK 



(I'abnuns nlniln* Kahririns. 



This is a common species over a wide ranf <>f territory , and 

 has been taken in several sections of Louisiana. In many plan- 

 il is called the black gadfly, and I have often heard the riam< 

 "honepicker" applied to it. This latter name is suggested. 1 

 suppose, on account of the ability i* exhibits for biting jmimals- 

 in general. It is such a common insect that one might suppose* 

 tint every item of its life history is definitely known, but sral?i 

 \-> not the case. It is easy enough to find the e<_r<_rs j n season'... 

 and from these it is easy to get the young by hatching, but on 

 account of its long larval period tbe intermediate stages between 

 the very young and the mature larvae seem not to have been 

 observed. The mature larvae have been collected by many ob 

 servers and in a variety of places. The first ones were found in 

 rotten logs, and for a time it was thought that they were found 

 or,]y in such places: but they may be procured by digging in 

 the ground in the vicinity of ponds, under stones on ditch banks, 

 taken from the water with dip nets, picked up while swimming 

 on the surface of the water, and frequently in the most un- 

 expected places. 



fly 



- .. 



<iti-<itii*i. with ;> single 

 ; :i panisitr within: BDla 



(After Hart, P.uii. ills, si.it.- i/ii... Vol 

 urae IV. i 



They seem to remain on the snrYaee of the water with tin- 

 utmost ease, and move from one place to another by their own 



