196 jMAJOR A. D. FRASER. 



Soon after the middle of July the flies diminished very considerably in numbers, 

 and during the early part of August only an occasional fly or two would be seen 

 on a particularly bright day. 



The flies seemed quite as eager to attack human beings as animals, and at their 

 worst were a greater pest than I have ever found tsetse-flies. The majority of the 

 flies settled on one's legs, and in the forest they attacked in such numbers that work 

 in it was rendered almost impossible. On one occasion I saw Lt.-Col. French, the 

 ■Chief Liaison Officer, on his return from a reconnaissance through the forest ; the 

 backs of his hands and his neck were completely discoloured, and his face was also 

 badly discoloured as a result of bites. He said that as many as fifteen flies at a time 

 would settle on the back of each hand, and his whole attention was occupied in 

 attempting to ward ofl their attacks. 



The officers at Obozerskaya built a wooden tennis-court in the clearing, but the 

 flies attacked so viciously and persistently, even in the evening between 6.0 and 

 7.0 p.m., that the players were driven from the field, and compelled to give up the 

 (j;ame imtil the flies diminished in numbers. 



Towards 10.0 p.m. the flies became less active, and between 10.30 p.m. and 

 1.30 a.m., when only an occasional fly was to be seen, there was a welcome freedom 

 from their attacks. At this season of the year in North Russia the sun only just 

 dips below the horizon, and.it is still quite light at midnight. 



The local inhabitants performed most of their outdoor work during the night, and 

 kept their cattle and other animals in their sheds during the heat of the day. When 

 a journey had to be made in the daytime, the drivers of the horses so far as possible 

 selected certain times when they expected a wind would rise and cause the flies 

 to become less troublesome. Before setting out they would rub their ponies with 

 paraffin, a supply of which they would take with them. They would then proceed 

 in convoys and make the journey as quickly as possible, using branches of trees to 

 beat away the ffies. The leading horse in the convoy seems to be attacked more 

 severely than the others, and the animal's head appears to be the favourite place of 

 attack ; but if blood has been made to ooze from any part of an animal this point 

 always attracts a swarm of flies. As for human beings, I have heard it stated by British 

 officers that they have been bitten through Bedford cord riding breeches. Everyone 

 experienced much discomfort and annoyance from the constant attacks of these 

 flies, and some individuals suflered from bites which developed into nasty septic 

 sores requiring medical attention. 



, It was noticed that a smaU, dark-coloured fly' (probably a non-biting Muscid) 

 constantly accompanied the Tabanids, and sucked up any blood that flowed from 

 wounds caused by them. 



- Tabanus. — The flies of this genus were the greatest pest, and always greatly 

 outnumbered those belonging to Haematopota and Chrysops — at Obozerskaya, when 

 Tabanids were at their worst, by something Uke 10 or 15 to 1, and 100 or 200 to 1, 

 respectively. Tabanus No. 1 [T. tarandinus, L. — E.E.A.] was the first to appear, 

 foUowed a day or two later by Tabanus Nos. 6 and 7 [T. maculicornis, Ztt., and 

 T. nigrifacies, Gob. — ^E.E.A.]. The vast majority of the ffies belonged to these 

 three species until about the end of the first week in July, when they were graduaUy 

 replaced by others. All these species were widely distributed throughout the 

 district. 



