30G HORSE-FLIES AND CAMELS IN JUBALAND. 



and if such an insect really exists, may eventually prove to 

 be a Tsetse ; but it is considered by Stuhlmann [XXVI.] to be 

 "more probably a horse-fly."* Schoeller [167], however, whose 

 remarks on the question are worth referring to, considers that 

 the disease which seems chiefly to attack baggage-donkeys " in the 

 steppe regions of East Africa,"and is attributed by the Wadschagga 

 to the bite of an unknown fly which they call " Wandorobo," is 

 really a malady sui generis, allied to the horse-sickess of South 

 Africa (" Dikkopziekte " of the Boers). Be this as it may, Dr. 

 W. S. Radford, writing from Nairobi, East Africa Protectorate, 

 on September 3rd, 1901, states that in Jubaland symptoms 

 identical with those of Tsetse-fly disease are produced in camels 

 by the bite of a horse-fly. Dr. Radford says : f " Amongst 

 other pests that affect camels very seriously in Jubaland is a 

 species of gad-fly [i.e. horse -fly] which is restricted in its distribu- 

 tion to the open plains and sparsely-bushed country in the 

 districts of Desek Wama and Derib. This fly, unlike the Tsetse, 

 attacks animals during the day at all hours, and the symptoms 

 produced by it (in camels) are identical in every particular 

 Avith those produced by Tsetse, but I was unable at the time to 

 substantiate this theory microscopically, owing to lack of the 

 necessary materials, etc., for carrying on investigations." 

 Although this is a mere statement, unsupported by any evidence 

 of scientific value, the fact that the fly in question is confined 

 " to the open plains and sparsely-bushed country " would seem to 

 preclude the possibility of its being a Tsetse, even one of the 

 large species [Glossina fusca, or GL longipennis), and the effort 

 should be made to identify and experiment with the fly without 

 delay, in addition to making a microscopical investigation of the 



incapable of movement, and it is only seldom that it survives the fifth 

 day." The country referred to in the next passage (Bd. II., p. 36), is that 

 just south of Ivilima-Njaro. — [Translation] "Even before the start we 

 lost one of the three donkeys that remained to us, without doubt in 

 consequence of the sting of the Donderobo fly (see Band I, p. 249). The 

 genital organs and the inguinal glands first showed a considerable 

 swelling ; this then spread further and finally made any naovement 

 impossible ; blood and matter flowed from the nose ; nay, even from the 

 orbital cavities, and an entire loss of strength indicated the near approach 

 of the end of the animal." The statement that "the Dondei'obo flies 

 chiefly attack donkeys and goats, more i-arely sheep, but never cows," is 

 curious. Some of the symptoms mentioned (swollen head and genitalia) 

 would seem to suggest that the "Donderobo fly" is none other than the 

 Tsetse ; but the blocking of the air-passages by ulcers is noteworthy, and 

 death cm the fifth day appears too speedy to be the result of Tsetse bite. 

 On the whole, Schoeller's view [167] that the disease is not due to the bites 

 of flies at all, but is a malady allied to the South African horse-sickness, 

 seoms reasonable. 



* According to Otto Kersten [43], on the other hand, nothing is heard 

 of the attacks of horse-flies in the region between Mombasa and Dsclmgga, 

 although " the Donderobo-fly, which is dangerous to donkeys," is alleged 

 bv natives to occur there. 



t Cf. Appendix C, p. 293. 



