663 



included under the genus Graucalus, they are now divided 

 into several different genera : — 



Pteropodocys maxima neglecta, Math. Western Australia. 



Goracina novae-hollandiae, Gmelin. Tasmania. 



C. novae-hollandiae melanops, Latham. South Australia. 



G. hypoleuca parryi, Math. Northern Territory. 



C . robusta mentalis, V. and H. New South Wales. 



Paragraucalus lineatus, Swainson. New South Wales. 



On July 7, 1917, Capt. S. A. White exhibited a skin of 

 Scopus umbretta, Hammerkop, which is found over the 

 southern part of Africa wading in streams and lakes in search 

 of frogs and other food. The natives have a superstitious 

 dread of these birds and never molest them. These birds often 

 go through a most wonderful dance. The nest is an enormous 

 structure of sticks, plastered inside with mud, the bird using 

 its tail to finish it off. The eggs are white and round, rough 

 and unpolished, from 2 to 4 in number. Although the nest is 

 very large, the inside is only about a foot in diameter; it is 

 often decorated with bright objects — coloured crockery, glass, 

 spoons, knives, etc. 



Notes on Small Flies of Genus Simulium. 



At the present time these flies are causing serious annoy- 

 ance to horses and cattle in the south-eastern portion of South 

 Australia. Mr. B. A. Feuerheerdt, of Lucindale, wrote about 

 them : — "I would not like to say this fly is new to this dis- 

 trict, but it certainly has never been so numerous before. In 

 low-lying, sheltered localities it occurs in thousands, and as 

 its bite is very sharp all stock in such localities suffer very 

 badly. They are particularly bad around the township of 

 Lucindale, and I myself saw the commonage cattle at this 

 place galloping around like things demented. T examined one 

 milking cow closely, and she was simply covered with these 

 flies. The teats and bare parts of her body were quite red 

 with beads of blood, and as the fly can burrow into the coat 

 very rapidly and neatly, no doubt other parts of the body 

 had suffered also." Similar insects have been recorded as 

 causing serious losses of stock in the United States and South 

 Africa. 



A. M. Lea. 



October 11, 1917. 



