﻿168 JAS. J. SIMPSON— ENTOMOLOGICAL 



At a small stream about 13 miles from Benin City, on the road to If on, I 

 caught one Glossina pallicera, the only specimen of this species so far recorded 

 from Southern Nigeria. In Benin City itself G. palpalis was caught in several 

 places, including the Rest-house and the Hospital, while at the River Ikpoba, the 

 water-supply of the town at the time of my visit, Glossina caliginea was far from 

 common. Stomoxys calcitrans and Stomoxys nigra were also abundant, especially 

 in the stables, and the dogs and cattle were infested with Rhipicephalus 

 sanguineus. At Ologbo, on the River Osiomo, about midway between Benin 

 City and Sapele, Chrysops silacea, Tabanus billingtoni and T. thoracinus were 

 obtained, while Dr. R. W. Gray records Glossina longipalpis from a place about 

 15 miles north-east of Benin City, and Chrysops silacea (or dimidiata)* Tabanus 

 billingtoni, T. fasciatus, T. secedens and Glossina palpalis, from Ohere not far 

 from Benin City. 



With regard to the districts of Benin City and If on he says : — 

 " So far as my experience goes the fly [tsetse] area is coterminous with the 

 extent of these districts. I have not yet visited a place in either without noticing 

 these flies. ... I am of opinion that they deposit their larva? at places 

 other than those near streams. . . . Cattle live and breed in the district. 

 They are to be met with in most or in all the villages. These cattle have a 

 healthy appearance. There is a herd of cattle at Benin belonging to the 

 Government. They are all in good condition and breed freely." 



(2) Sapele, Warri and Forcados. 



The second group of districts may be considered as being almost entirely in 

 the delta region. Warri and Sapele stand at the northern limit, and Forcados 

 at the southern, or coast margin. The country around Sapele is for the most 

 part low-lying and swampy, and is intersected by innumerable creeks forming a 

 perfect system of water-transport. Ocean-going steamers can ascend to the town 

 of Sapele. The mangrove forest extends for some 20 miles from the sea, and 

 then gives way to forest land which is extensively farmed. A large amount of 

 mahogany has been exported from this region. Cattle, goats and sheep are kept, 

 but in small numbers. Leopard and antelope are said to occur in the denser 

 bush ; crocodiles are abundant in the lower reaches of the Benin River and in 

 the creeks near the sea. 



Sapele. — Glossina palpalis has been caught at Sapele, but apart from this species 

 the only blood-sucking insect so far recorded is Chrysops silacea. With reference to 

 the bionomics of the latter species, I would draw attention to the following 

 quotation from a letter received by me from Dr. Kelleher, who was stationed at 

 Sapele for some time. " This fly appears at Sapele for a short visit twice 

 yearly ... It appears for a few weeks at a time at the beginning of the 

 rains and at one other period which I am unable to fix. The natives in their 

 tongue call it the ' softly-softly fly,' owing no doubt to its noiseless flight and 

 gentle method of alighting. It usually hangs about the under parts of chairs 

 and desks, and quietly and persistently flits to the ankles or the fingers, especially 



* It is far from certain whether these two species are distinct. 



