40. C. VV. HOWARD — THE DISTRIBUTION OF TSETSE-FLIES 



again very little game was found. One water-buck was shot near the Msalu 

 river, but after this not more than four or five tracks of game were seen, and 

 only once was buffalo spoor found. A few elephants, however, were present 

 in this region. After crossing the Lujenda river, game, including buffalo, 

 became very plentiful, but no tsetse was to be found. 



This statement must, of course, be taken with many allowances, for Major 

 Hamilton, while a most careful and accurate observer, only followed a well- 

 beaten native road across the country. At the same time, being such a careful 

 observer and such a keen hunter, it seems probable that if game had been 

 present he would have found it. It being the dry season, one would expect to 

 find the game near the rivers. This, however, did not seem to be true. At the 

 same time one would hardly expect to find tsetse in a region so dry as that 

 between the Msalu and Lujeuda rivers. All the game seems to have disappeared 

 from the region east of the Lujenda river, and is apparently unable to migrate 

 from the region to the west of it, as the river is very wide and deep, of a nature 

 which game would not readily cross. Information which has been given me by 

 Dr. Amaral Leal, of LoureuQO Marques, would seem to throw some light on the 

 conditions obtaining in one of these areas. Dr. Leal was stationed at Ibo some 

 seven or eight years ago, and assures me that at that time the covmtry immediately 

 west of Ibo and Port Amelia was full of game. This fact would seem to indicate 

 that in this area the fly has apparently survived the disnppearance of game, and 

 is able to exist without it. Although these observations cannot be taken as in 

 any way proving that tsetse-fly is not dependent on the presence of game for its 

 existence, it would seem to indicate that such might be the case. I believe that 

 similar conditions have also been proved to exist in North Western Rhodesia, 

 where, when game disappeared, the tsetse continued, often centering about the 

 neighbouring kraals. A specimen of fly from each of the regions mentioned was 

 brought back to me by Major Hamilton. Both are plainly Glossina morsitans. 



Flies have been received from Port Amelia with the statement that they were 

 collected from near that place,- the exact locality was not, however, given. 

 Austen, in his " Monograph of the Tsetse Flies," has a fly-belt marked on his 

 map as existing along the Rovuma river, which separates this Province from 

 German East Africa. As to whether this still exists I am unable to say, although 

 I have had a report to that effect which is probably authentic* 



From the Mozambique district we have two records, one of a belt af^ Mapula 

 near the south central part of tht^ district, the second near the coast at a point 

 north-west from the town of Mozambique. 



The Zambesia district has some considerable fly-belts in the north-eastern area, 

 and one report has been received recording the existence of fly in the north- 

 western portion. There is fly in the parts of the Nyasaland Protectorate 

 adjoining this district, and it is reasonable to suppose that it will also be found 

 on the Portuguese side of the border. A specimen of G. pallidipes has been 

 sent to me from Lekungo. Dr. Sant'Anna, of the Hospital service, has recently 



'"' [The existence of 6r. murnitans along the Rovuma has recently been fully confirmed by 

 Mr. H. T. Barrett (see p. 43), and the fly-belts observed by him have therefore been added to 

 Mr. Howard's map. — Ed ] 



