RESEARCH IN SIERRA LEONE. 171 



Waterloo, the headquarters of the District Commissioner for the Colony, 

 20 miles from Freetown, is situated at the northern end of the isthmus which 

 separates the Peninsula from the Protectorate. It stands at the head of a large 

 creek which is navigable at high water from Freetown. The vegetation in and 

 around the town is very dense, and mangroves predominate at the head of the 

 creek, which is tidal to this point. The out-going tide leaves an extensive mud 

 flat, and this combination is extremely favourable for the occurrence of Glossina 

 palpalis. In addition to this species the only other blood-sucking fly caught 

 there was Tab anus fasciatus. 



At Newton, 25 miles from Freetown, no blood-sucking flies were seen, but one 

 tick, Haemaphysalis leachi was found on a bush-shrike {Dryoscopus turetii) shot 

 there. At Songo Town, on the river of that name, Tabanus besti and T. fasci- 

 atus were caught, while on the dogs Rhipicephalus sanguineus were abundant. 

 Rotifunk stands on the River Bumpe, which is tidal to this point ; there G. pal- 

 palis, T. besti var. arbucklei and one male specimen of the rare blood-sucking fly, 

 Thaumastocera akwa, were obtained. 



Moyamba, 76 miles from Freetown, is the headquarters of the District Com- 

 missioner and Medical Officer of the Ronietta District ; it stands on the banks of 

 the Yambuta River. Glossina palpalis is abundant near the river, and G.fusca 

 in the more densely wooded part around. Tabanus fasciatus and T. besti var. 

 arbucklei are also very prevalent, while the following mosquitos are common : — 

 Stegomyia fasciata, Culex decens, Eretmopodites chrysegaster, and Toxorhynchites 

 brevipalpis. 



The town of Bo is probably the largest native town on the railway, but its 

 chief importance lies in the fact that it is also a large railway centre, since 

 all passenger trains upwards and downwards remain there overnight. It is the 

 headquarters of the Puisne Judge of the Protectorate, the Medical Officer of the 

 Railway District, and numerous railway officials. The undenominational school 

 for the sons of chiefs is also situated here, and teachers belonging to this institu- 

 tion along with the representatives of the trading firms augment the European 

 population. In addition to these Europeans permanently stationed there, one 

 must not overlook the fact that there is a considerable floating population, for 

 example, the engine-drivers, who, in the case of up-trains, remain one night at 

 Pendembu and the next at Bo ; and in the case of down-trains one night at Free- 

 town, and the next at Bo, and so on. Further, there are the passengers both up 

 and down, who are compelled to leave the train for the night and occupy 

 quarters in the Government rest-house. Bo has, therefore, probably the largest 

 and most constantly floating population in the Protectorate. 



Much has already been done to ameliorate the conditions of life at Bo, but 

 considerably more will have to be accomplished in the way of clearing and 

 general upkeep, especially in the railway reserve, before the blood-sucking 

 insect fauna can be reduced to such an extent as might be expected in so 

 important a station. Mosquitos are troublesome in the quarters of the 

 permanent officials, but a perfect pest in the Government rest-house. 



This rest-house stands in the railway grounds. The clearing of the sur- 

 rounding bush is far from adequate (Plate XIX, fig. 1), and the supervision 

 necessary when one remembers that the occupants are for the most part 



