874 JOURNAL, BOMB A Y NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol, XVII. 



are common in forest lands, but the distribution of no one species is 

 known." 



From the point of view of the Sanitarian then it is most important 

 that we should get to know something about the biting-flies of Bombay 

 and India generally, but the Veterinary Department also have a very 

 direct interest in the question, for there is a disease of horses, camels 

 and cattle quite common in India called Surra which is caused by a 

 trypanosome ( T. evansi) exactly like that causing Sleeping Sickness, 

 and no doubt spread by some blood-sucking fly. It has not yet been 

 definitely decided what fly is implicated in the spread of this disease 

 but it is quite within the bounds of possibility that a fly that can spread 

 Surra might be capable of transmitting Sleeping Sickness as well. 



This disease called Surra is very destructive to horses and ponies in 

 Cavalry regiments and must cost the Government many thousands of 

 rupees annually in this way. 



It is of great importance then that an effort should be made to find 

 out which particular fly is the cause of the spread of this disease and for 

 this purpose we require to know (a) the seasonal prevalence of Surra in 

 each place where it exists ; (b) whether any particular fly is present 

 at these seasons and absent during the rest of the year; (c) whether 

 there exist for Surra, " fly-belts" similar to those described in Uganda 

 in the case of Sleeping Sickness. It is pleasing to be able to record 

 that the Bombay Government are fully alive to the importance of this 

 matter and have sent out a circular asking Forest Officers and others to 

 assist in the collection of biting flies. Here I think our Society by 

 means of its widespread membership may be able to render valuable 

 help in collecting flies and reporting on their seasonal prevalence, and 

 also on the seasonal prevalence of Surra. It is fortunate for us that we 

 have only Surra to study and not the dread Sleeping Sickness, and 

 long may this endure, but till we know something about the Diptera of 

 India we can never say with certainty that it is impossible for this 

 disease to take root among us. 



Within the last few days the discovery of Glossina tachinoides has 

 been reported from the Dthala valley in the Aden Hinterland by 

 Capt. B. Markham Carter, I.M.S.,* where he found it first on the banks 

 of the Tiban river in belts of Tamarisk, Babul and Euphorbia jungle. 



* Brit. Med. Journal, 1906, Vol. II, p. 1393. 



