290 TSETSE AND BUFFALO. 



APPENDIX C. 



Copies. OF Letters on the subject of the supposed con- 

 nection BETWEEN THE TSETSE AND THE BUFFALO (Bubalus 



caffer, Sparrman) : transmitted by the Foreiga Oflice to the 

 British Museum (Natural History). 



MWENGA R., 



"Hook of the Kafue," 

 N.E. Rhodesia, 



2Uh Fehniary, 1901. 



Mr. Val Gielgud to the Secretary of the British South 

 Africa Company. 



Sir, — I see from the papers that the iuternational con- 

 ference for the preservation of big game has decided to recom- 

 mend that Buffalo be placed on the list of game to be absolutely 

 protected. I, therefore, wish to bring to your notice my obser- 

 vations on the Tsetse-fly and the Buffalo, the correctness of 

 which are, I believe, borne out by the experience of Mr. George 

 Grey when travelling through a fly country in 1899 and also by 

 information obtained from native sources. 



The Tsetse-fly lias always abounded in districts where Buffalo 

 were numerous, and since the almost total destruction of Buffalo 

 by rinderpest these flies have not disappeared, although, perhaps, 

 not so numerous as formerly. The bite of the insect, however, 

 appears to have become much less deadly to domestic animals, 

 and stock and dogs not only survive the bites for a much longer 

 period than formerly, but in many cases suffer no ill effects 

 at all. 



This has been my personal experience, and I think I am 

 correct in saying that Mr. Grey's is similar. 



The natives say that now the Buffalo are dead the Tsetse-fly 

 no longer kills stock, but of course natives are notoriously 

 careless and loose in their statements. It is a fact also that in 

 many places where Burtalo have become extinct the Tsetse-fly 

 has also vanished ; this is the case in parts of Sebungwi and 

 Zankie districts. As there are large fly districts in northern 

 Rhodesia I call your attention to these facts, as it appears to me 

 that the protection of the Buffalo and the Tsetse-fly are identical, 

 and I would doubt if the benefit accruing from the preservation 

 of the former will compensate for the disadvantages arising from 

 the existence of the latter. 



I am, etc., 



Val Gielgud. 



