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DESCRIPTION OF HAUNTS OF GLOSSINA TACHINOIDES 

 IN BORNU PROVINCE, NORTHERN NIGERIA. 



Br Dr. B. Moiser, 

 West African Medical Staff. 



During conversation with the Resident of Bornu Province, Northern Nigeria, 

 I learned that a former Medical Officer of the district had discovered, some six 

 or seven years ago, a tsetse-fly belt near Mulgue, about 40 miles south of Maifoni, 

 Bornu, and I therefore decided to investigate the locality iu July, 1910. 



On my way there from Maifoni, while camping at Mulgue, I found that the 

 natives are well aware of the presence of the flies in their district, and know 

 that they kill horses and cattle, so that they take good care not to allow these 

 animals in the district at all. 



I was told that the flies can be seen all the year round, but that they are more 

 numerous during the rainy season. The rains start about May, only a little 

 falling during that month and June, but during July, August and September 

 rain is fairly frequent, the total fall measuring about 30 in. Rain usually falls 

 in short, sharp showers, seldom lasting longer than a couple of hours. During 

 the rainy season, the average daily maximum shade temperature is about 

 90° to 95° F., while in March and April, which are the hottest months of 

 the year, the maximum temperature is about 115° F. The minimum varies from 

 50° to 70° F. 



I had with me some horses, and was told that I could safely take them as far 

 as a village called Pyem. I was also escorted by the headman and two followers, 

 all of whom were mounted, and we rode together through the fields of young 

 guinea-corn and ground-nuts to Pyem, were we dismounted. A few minutes 

 afterwards, one of the horse-boys brought me a specimen of G. tachinoides, 

 which he said he had caught on the horse, and I then became aware of the 

 presence of the Hies in the village, although I had been told that they did not 

 exist there. This fact I have taken as possibly indicating that the flies are 

 extending their habitat along the river which flows close past the village. 



Leaving the village we immediately entered the "bush," passing through rank 

 grass, varying from a foot to 8 or 10 feet in height. The general country is flat, 

 with slight undulations, and is fairly thickly wooded, the trees being mostly 

 about 12 to 20 feet high, but a fair number of large shady trees exist along the 

 course of the tortuous river-bed. Here and there occurred patches of dense 

 jungle, quite impossible to penetrate, whilst there are also fairly large open 

 spaces. We followed a course close to the river, which flows northwards in a 

 well-defined river-bed, sandy at the bottom, with steep mud banks, 10 to 15 feet 

 high ; but we saw very few tsetses. 



After proceeding five or six miles, the tent was pitched in an open place, over- 

 looking the river-bed, on the top of a high vertical bank, At that time there 

 was no actual flow of water in the river, merely isolated stagnant pools. At this 



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