52 R. NEWSTEAD THE PAPATACI FLIES (PHLEBOTOMUS) 



these insects remain in tlieir hidden and sheltered retreats and rarely venture 

 forth at such times. There is little wonder at this, as their frail bodies and 

 delicate wings are ill-suited for Hight under such conditions ; moreover it is a 

 habit common to many members of the same order ; minute midges, in particular, 

 are often seen to swarm on still warm evenings, and rarely if ever assemble in 

 numbers imder any other circumstances. 



A general belief is held by the Maltese that certain kinds of trees and shrubs 

 (fig and loquat especially) form the principal resorts of these insects, and many 

 are also under the impression that they breed either in the foliage or branches or 

 in the fallen and dead leaves which lie beneath them. There may of course be a 

 measure of truth in these theories ; but we may at once dismiss the statement 

 that they breed in the trees. It is perfectly obvious, however, that the presence 

 of ornamental shrubs and fruit trees in the walled-in gardens would afford them 

 just the kind of shelter and shade which they require, and would enable them in 

 all probability to travel the more safely from their breeding-places to the house 

 in the immediate vicinity. It is just possible that rotting vegetation in damp 

 shady places, such as shrubberies, may form a breeding-place also, but so far as 

 our researches have extended up to the present moment we have no evidence in 

 support of this view. Considerable attention was paid to searching such 

 materials but with negative results, as has already been stated. It is clearly 

 evident inoreover that dry materials, whether in a state of decay or otherwise, 

 do not form a suitable breeding-place, especially dead leaves which may 

 accumulate on the siu'face of the ground beneath the trees ; light and dryness 

 being both unsuitable conditions for the preliminai-y stages of the Phlebotomus. 



The characteristic attitude of Phlehotomus is portrayed on Plates II and III. 

 When at rest the wings slightly diverge and are elevated at a considerable angle 

 above the thorax and abdomen. On the least distm-bance the insects make 

 short rapid flights, almost invariably to the right or left, reminding one of the 

 rapid movements of a flea rather than those of a winged insect. Occasionally, 

 however, they will take long-continued flights, when the course is more or less 

 direct and distinctly midge-like. Their movements on the wing can be followed 

 with little difficulty in daylight, but by artificial light it is almost impossible to 

 do so for more than a few seconds at a time. 



Both sexes live but a short time in captivity, unless they are fed upon human 

 blood. Without this they will subsist on wet blotting-paper or other damp' 

 materials, such as soil, fresh leaves, &c. Under such conditions many examples 

 survived for periods varying from three to nine days though the majority died 

 on the third and fourth days, even although the females, in many instances, had 

 taken a meal of blood a few hours before they were captured. 



Seasonal Prevalence. 



The adult insects were more or less prevalent during the whole of my stay in 

 the island (July, August, and the first week in September). That the numbers 

 fluctuated during this period has already been mentioned, but this was apparently 

 due, in a large measure at least, to variations in temperature, humidity, and 

 wind. Relatively few Papataci flies occur before the middle of June, and 



