The Tabanidae of Staten Island, N. Y.^ 



William T. Davis 



The Tabanidae is a favorite family of flies among students of 

 Diptera. Some of them are showy insects, and as the females of 

 a number of species attack animals, including man, their presence 

 in the warm days of summer is often annoying. Hence it is quite 

 natural that they have been the subject of considerable study. 

 Seventy-five species have been recorded from New Jersey, but on 

 small Staten Island only thirty-six kinds have been collected, all 

 of them belonging to two genera, Chrysops and Tabanus. To the 

 genus Chrysops belong the " golden-eyed flies," and it is these that 

 are so aggressive on the meadows at Watchogue in June, while 

 the large black horsefly, Tabanus atratus, is a typical representa- 

 tive of the other genus. 



If an open umbrella is placed on the ground in the woods, a 

 number of horseflies will often be attracted thereby. In this way 

 on one occasion I captured four species and saw a fifth. Horse- 

 flies are also attracted by dead horses and other animals, as well 

 as to living ones. 



Several specialists in the group have identified certain of the 

 species in the writer's collection and, in December 1916, Pro- 

 fessor James S. Hine, of Columbus, Ohio, was kind enough to 

 review those already determined, and also to identify a number 

 of others. The species from Staten Island are given in the fol- 

 lowing list : 



Chrysops Meigefi. 



C. cclcr O. S. June 7 to 22, seven specimens. 

 C. carbonarius Walker. Richmond, June 9, 1906. 

 C. nigcr Macq. Richmond, May 31, June 8 ; Clove Valley, June 

 19. Seven other specimens taken in June. 

 C. brimlcyl Hine. Woodrow, June 22, 1907. 



1 Presented at the meeting of the Section of Natural Science April 14, 

 IQ17. 



