﻿RESEARCH IN BRITISH WEST AFRICA. 



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the Northern Nigerian portion," 4 I have purposely started with the most 

 northerly, namely, Idah. On the left bank the nature of the vegetation near the 

 river is principally thick bush, but further inland it becomes more open, and the 

 country is in parts very undulating and hilly. The town of Idah itself is situated 

 on a cliff about 160 feet high. The vegetation on the right bank is very similar 

 to that on the left, but inland the country develops a very hilly character, 

 culminating in a range of hills running almost due north and south, known as the 

 Kukuruku hills. The rivers draining this region all flow into the Niger, and 

 include the Ofu, the Obe, the Ogio and the Orle. This district is said to be 

 well stocked with game, includiug buffalo, water buck, hartebeeste and various 

 other kinds of antelope. Goats and sheep seem to thrive, but cattle are far from 

 common. Glossina palpalis and Tabanus fasciatus are the only two blood- 

 sucking flies so far recorded from this region. 



The Onitsha district is hilly and open ; clumps of forest are met with only in 

 the vicinity of towns and along the banks of rivers and creeks. It is well 

 watered ; the chief rivers are the Anambra, which flows from the north-east and 

 enters the Niger above the town of Onitsha ; other rivers are the Idi-Minni, the 

 Orashi and the Oderiji. In addition to these there are innumerable streams 

 containing, for the most part, excellent water. Glossina palpalis abounds along 

 all these water-courses. 



The larger mammals of the district include bush-cow, leopards, antelopes, 

 hippopotami, and monkeys. There is a considerable number of the small breed 

 of cattle referred to before, and these seem to thrive well, while goats and sheep 

 are prolific ; ponies die off soon after arrival. With regard to Onitsha, 

 Mr. D. C. Price, District Commissioner, says: — "In 1903, the Government 

 imported a herd of West Indian cattle — some 25 in all. They were put down at 

 Onitsha and in little more than a year all were dead." 



Between Illah and Onitsha both Glossina palpalis and Tabanus subangustus 

 were caught on the steamer, while at Illah itself Tabanus fasciatus was obtained. 

 At Abutshi, near Onitsha, T. subangustus has also been found. The most 

 prevalent mosquito at the town of Onitsha was Mansonioides uniformis, but other 

 species found were : — Culex grahami, C. invidiosus^Culiciomyia nebulosa, Myzomyia 

 costalis, M. funesta and Taeniorhynchus aurites. A species of Phlebotomus was 

 also troublesome ; and numbers of Auchmeromyia luteola were caught. On the 

 dogs, sheep and goats were numerous Ctenocephalus canis, Rhipicephalus 

 sanguineus and Haemaphysalis leachi. 



Asaba. — This is a purely agricultural district situated on the right bank. 

 The interior has only recently been opened up and the headquarters transferred 

 to Agwashi Oku. The main importance of the district lies in the fact that 

 lignite has recently been found in such quantities and of such quality as to justify 

 the Government making a metalled road from Asaba to a central point in the 

 seam at Okpanam, eight miles out. Lignite has also been found in the north of 

 Asaba district, between Okunzu and Ibu, and this may result in opening up this 

 hitherto practically unknown country. Near Asaba Glossina palpalis and 

 Mansonioides uniformis were obtained. 



* Bull. Ent. Res. II, pt. 4, p. 315. 



