340 .TAS. .T. SIMPSON KNTOMOLOGICAL 



Gicldau Idrezti the country is open, with a few Lirge trees, numerous ckisters 

 of dwarf shrubs, and abundant high grass. Tlie vilLige of Barkumi is on 

 the bank of a small stream, while the town of Igaudum stands on another, 

 the Uge. The latter is crossed by means of a large fallen tree and is sur- 

 rounded by a dense kurimi and here G. 2)alpalis occurs in large mmibers. 

 The River Amara is spanned by a bridge about 60 feet in length, which is 

 situated in thick bush, where G. palpalis was seen. The town of Abajikoro 

 also stands on a small stream, the banks of which are overhung with dense bush 

 as in the case of the others ; there also G. palpalis swarmed. No horses are ever 

 kept in this locality, except a few in transit to Ankpa. The natives state that 

 any horse brought to one of these villages would certainly die within a few 

 months. 



The town of Akwacha is about 15 miles due south of Abajikoro. Shortly 

 after leaving the latter town the road crosses the River Amara, while towards 

 Akwacha are two other small streams, probably tributaries of the Akwacha River, 

 which runs into the River Amara, and this in its turn, flows into the Benue. All 

 these streams are fringed by dense forest growth which more than probably 

 harbours G. palpalis, although only at a small river half a mile from Akwacha 

 were specimens actually caught. The village of Egga stands in a thick kurimi 

 near this river, and at the watering place of this town, G. palpalis was seen. 

 Akwacha is a large town on the bank of a river of the same name ; there also 

 G. palpalis were taken in numbers, while even at the rest-house, more than half a 

 mile from the town, and in an open clearing, one specimen was caught biting the 

 writer at 5.30 p.m. 



The people inhabiting this region are known as Igbaras, but there are also 

 numerous Hausa trading settlements. The Siriki, or headman, of Akwacha 

 lieing extremely intelligent, an attempt was made to verify and add to the names 

 of flies previously obtained at the various villages. This tribe does not seem to 

 differentiate between the various types of biting flies, as do some of the others. 

 Any fly which bites they term "unu," but beyond that the only distinction theydi-aw 

 is with regard to the animal attacked, for example, " unuanya " is the fly which 

 bites the horse (anya=horse), wliile " unuefa " denotes any fly which bites the 

 " efa," or " bush cow." On being shown large Tabanids, small Tabanids and 

 tsetse, the Igaras used any of these three terms to denote one and all of them 

 indiscriminately. They, however, distinguish mosquitos under the name "imu." 

 Sleeping sickness they term " ogaulu " (oga = sickness, ulu = sleep), while 

 enlarged cervical glands they style " atalahu." No horses are kept at Akwacha 

 owing to the high rate of mortality 



Immediately outside Akwacha three deep ravines have to be crossed. Tliese 

 were practically dry in January, but in the wet season they hold streams of 

 considerable depth. Beyond these is the village of Uriwa, and a little further on 

 a fairly large river, the Urito, has to be crossed. The nature of the country up 

 to this point may be described as thin open bush, but beyond the Urito there is 

 an extensive kurimi, which stretches for nearly four miles to the town of Auru. 

 This is probably the densest kurimi seen during my tour in Northern Nigeria. 

 Apart from the main road, whicli runs through it, it is practically impenetrable 



