AQUATIO INSECTS IN NEW YORK STATE 343 
standing the gnats, while farmers on a small scale can keep 
their animals in the stable, thus protecting them.! 
Remedies and preventies 
A number of remedies to counteract the poison of the buffalo 
gnats have been tried, but none of them have been sufficiently 
tested or have proved uniformly effective. The following appli- 
cations have been of sufficient use to merit further trial: (1) Rub- 
bing with water of ammonia, and administering internally a 
mixture of 40 to 50 grains of carbonate of ammonia to 1 pint 
of whisky, repeating the dose every three or four hours until 
relieved; (2) continued doses of whisky alone and keeping the 
animal in a cool and darkened stable; (8) immersion in cold 
water in running streams. Many cases of death of human 
beings from the bites of buffalo gnats have been reported, and 
some of them seem well authenticated. The painfulness of 
their attacks will certainly put people on their guard, but it 
would be well for persons in localities subject to their inva- 
sion to go prepared with some means cf protecting themselves 
when far from shelter during the season of the year when the 
flies abound. The adults have so far appeared but little sub- 
ject to attack from other animals. But few birds have been 
observed to feed upon them, though for the Southern forms. 
the mocking bird, winter wren, and especially barnyard fowls, 
after the flies become gorged with blood feed upon them. 
Dragon flies, Libellulidae and robber flies, Asilidae, have been 
observed to catch them. The larvae are devoured in large num- 
bers by the smaller fishes, minnows, etc., and probably the car- 
nivorous beetle, bugs and other aquatic insects prey upon them. 
Dr Howard has observed in Washington the larvae of a species 
of Hydropsyche feeding upon the larvae of a species common 
in that locality. The pupae are pretty well protected by the 
resemblance in color to the objects to which they are fastened 
and their quiet habits. The eggs would seem to be open to 
the attacks of fishes, carnivorous beetles, etc., but no positive 
observations have been made. Osborn? 
Very little can be done to destroy this insect in its earlier 
stages. The removal of obstructions in the rivers, which cause 
an acceleration of the motion of the water, would destroy some 
of their breeding places, but when there are so many this would 
make but little difference. Any chemicals to kill the larvae and 
pupae in the water would also kill fish, as they would have to be 
used very strong. The only way we have to protect ourselves 
TU. S. Dep’t Agric. Rep’t. 1886. p.502, 
2U. S. Dep’t Agric. Div. Ent. 1896. Bul. 5, n. s. p.37, 38. 
