357 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE BREEDING HAUNTS OF 

 GLOSSINA MOESITANS. 



By Rupert W. Jack, F.E.S., 



Government Entomologist for Soutliern Rhodesia. 



(PLATES XVII.— XXI.) 



The first piiparium of Glossina morsitans found in nature, as mentioned in 

 Mr. E. E. Austen's recently published " Handbook of the Tsetse-Flies," was 

 taken in November, 1910, from the collection of mould and humus between the 

 roots of a large tree (Ficus sp.) near the Gorai river below the Escarpment in 

 the Lomagundi District, Southern Rhodesia. The tree is situated about 60 to 

 70 yards from the actual bank of the river, as it runs at present. It is in reality 

 growing on what was the old bank of the river, which is changing its bed 

 gradually owing to the soft nature of the ground through which it ilows. At 

 the time of the visit " fly " was abimdant in the shade of the trees bordering the 

 river, the sandy bed of which then contained no water on the surface, the nearest 

 open water being twelve to fifteen miles away in the Hunyani river. It was thought 

 at the time that this was the only pupa-case secured, and a search all along the river 

 bank produced no others. A number of empty pupa-cases of other Diptera and 

 Lepidoptera were, however, placed in a corked phial and labelled, and on going- 

 over these later in the laboratory, the anal end of a second tsetse pupa-case was 

 found amongst them, showing the characteristic protuberances. This spot was 

 again visited in April, 1911, and under the same tree five more empty puparia 

 were found, but, as before, the most diligent search elsewhere failed to produce 

 any more. A photograph of the tree taken in November is reproduced 

 (PI. XVII, fig. 2). 



During August, 1911, the fly-area in the Sebungwe District was visited, and 

 here the search for pupae met with greater success. Altogether 87 empty 

 puparia were found and four living pupae, or at least puparia from which the 

 fly had not emerged. These puparia were found in two dififerent localities, namely, 

 at a river, or, as some say, the headquarters of several rivers, called Manzi- 

 tuba, lying some 35 miles east of Kariyangwo (Sebungwe), the seat of the 

 Native Commissioner for the district ; and again, near a kraal belonging to 

 the induna Sinombi, situated on the Sinyama River, about 23 miles east of 

 Kariyangwe. 



At the point where the investigations took place at Manzituba there is a sandy 

 escarpment, a hundred feet or so in height, which suddenly descends to a wet 

 boggy vlei,* lying east and west, through which the course of the river runs. In 

 August the river consists of a series of pools. This vlei is bordered by shady 

 trees, and in this respect differs from the surrounding bush, in which the trees are 

 almost entirely leafless at this time of the year. From the drier portions of the 

 vlei old termite-mounds rise in places and are surmounted by tall shady trees. 



* [A term used in South Africa for open, low-lying land, which is always marshy during the 

 rains, but which may or may not be dry during the dry season. — Ed.] 



