RESEARCH IN SIERRA LEONE. 169 



At Yiraia the following blood-sucking insects were taken : — Glossina palpalis, 

 G. longipalpis, Tabanus kingsleyi, T. pluto, Simulium damnosurn, and Culiciomyia 

 nebulosa. The last-named species was bred from larvae found in a pit containing 

 a filthy liquid mass used in tanning. One tick, Amblyomma splendidum, was 

 found on grass, and another species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, was taken along 

 with Ctenocephalus fells from dogs. 



The first stage from Yiraia Sokurella is to Banda Karafa, with a halt at 

 Firiwa. The country is hilly, and there are numerous kurimis. In several of 

 these kurimis, Glossina palpalis was caught, while in the more open country 

 G, longipalpis exists. At the town of Firiwa itself, in addition to the former 

 species, Tabanus kingsleyi and T. pinto were taken. From a borrow-pit near 

 the rest-house, swarming with mosquito larvae a number were taken. These, on 

 being bred out, proved to be Stegomyia sugens, while from a tan-pit in the town, 

 and from a hole in a decayed tree near the rest-house, several Stegomyia fasciata 

 were bred out. One species of tick, Haemaphysalis leachi, was found on grass. 

 At the crossing of the Bagwe (or Bagbe) River, as the Bum River is called 

 in its higher reaches, and also at a tributary, G. palpalis was found on the road 

 to Banda Karafa, while near this town the same species of Glossina, along with 

 G. longipalpis, Tabanus besti and T. kingsleyi, were captured. 



From Banda Karafa to Tirikoro the road passes round the base of the Loma 

 Mountains and another smaller chain of hills which forms an eastern continuation. 

 All the towns are situated high up on the rocky hillsides, and the vegetation is 

 very dense. Numerous small streams and swamps had to be crossed, and travelling 

 in this region is extremely arduous. The first town of any size on this journey is 

 Kimadugu, where Glossina palpalis and Tabanus argenteus were found. A 

 number of Culiciomyia nebulosa were bred from larvae obtained from a " medicine " 

 or " ju-ju " pot. Between this town and Kurubum, several Hippocentrum trimac- 

 ulatum were caught, chiefly in the vicinity of the swamps mentioned. G. palpalis 

 and T. kingsleyi were found near Kurubum. At Sandea, a small filthy town on 

 the hillside, G. palpalis and Stegomyia fasciata were abundant ; while at Tirikoro 

 only Tabanus besti var. arbucklei and T. pluto were seen. The country around 

 Tirikoro, an unimportant dirty village, is extremely interesting geographically, 

 as it contains the sources of four large rivers. Its chief importance lies in the fact 

 that here the Niger takes its origin, and flows almost due north ; north-west 

 round the Loma Mountains runs the Bagwe or Sewa or Bum ; south-west flows 

 the Bafi, a tributary of the Bagwe ; and south-east runs the Mum, a tributary 

 of the Meli. 



Near the source of the Niger, in an exposed rock pool, similar to that 

 described on page 168, several mosquito larvae were obtained and bred out. 

 These proved to be Stegomyia sugens. 



From Tirikoro to Kondundu the road traverses the region watered by the 

 River Mum, a tributary of the Meli. The only blood-sucking flies obtained on 

 this stage were G. palpalis, Haematopota grahami, and Stegomyia fasciata. The 

 last-named were bred from larvae found in a hollow of a decayed tree near the 

 River Mum. The country from Kondundu to Jahama lies in the basin of 

 the River Bafi, a large and important tributary of the Bagwe. Owing to the 

 different types of country and vegetation which occur in this region, it might be 

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