"38 CROP PKST CUM MISSION OF 



"In driving through the 'piney woods' country (uplands), west of 

 Lecompte, from the 1st to the 7th of September, I found this species 

 fairly abundant. From three to fifteen were constantly following the 

 team while in the pine uplands arid many were captured. They would 

 frequently fly into the buggy and alight on the underside of the top. 

 Along creek bottoms and in swamps they were not nearly so abundant 

 as in the uplands, occurring only occasionally. In addition to their 

 attacking horses, I noticed them on mules, cows, sheep, and in one 

 case attacking a cat. They did not bite persons, although they were 

 .offered many opportunities. They were rather shy and difficult to 

 capture. When we were attempting to catch individuals around the 

 team, frequently all of them would leave to return again as soon as 

 the collector moved away a few feet. I noticed that this species, 

 when flying over water, would frequently drop to the surface, and after 

 striking it with the body, quickly dart away again." 



Mr. Garrett reports that this species was abundant at Keachie 

 from July all through September and October, and that it was practi- 

 cally the only species of Taban-us found in that locality during the 

 two latter months. During the entire time that it was abundant Mr. 

 Garrett noticed that the flies entered a farm house in that locality in 

 considerable numbers and collected upon the screens inside of the 

 house, similar to the manner in which the Tabanids did in the labora- 

 tory at Cameron. Large numbers of them had died of starvation and 

 had collected in masses upon the window sills and entirely filled the 

 space between the window sill and screens. 



TABANUS MEGERLE1 Wiedemann. This species has the eyes 

 pilose and is the only one of its group thus far taken in thf State. 

 The thorax is dark colored, but with indications of gray stripes; the 

 abdomen is reddish with a wide black stripe down the middle; the 

 wing is blackish at the base, but the apical half is mostly hyaline, 

 with a black dot on the cross-vein and at the forking of the third vein 

 The species usually appears early in the season and the single speci- 

 men taken in Louisiana is no exception. It was taken on the Experi- 

 ment Station farm at Calhoun. April 7. from mules in the field 

 (Newell). Previous records indicate that this species was known 

 . from Florida only. 



TABANUS VENUSTUS Osten Sacken (Spotted Horsefly). This 

 is one of the most distinct species of its genus found in the State, and 

 there is no other fly that can be confused with it. The thorax is 

 plainly striped with gray; the abdomen is black, with a middle row 

 of distinct white triangles. The wings are variegated with hyaline 

 and black, the two being nearly equally divided. The coloration of 



