﻿172 JAS. J. SIMPSON — ENTOMOLOGICAL 



Abo. — To the south of Onitsha and Asaba lies the district of Abo, where the 

 true Niger may be said to end and the delta begin. The whole of the country 

 is low-lying, and during the annual rise of the river a large portion is submerged. 

 The Niger flows down the centre of the district and there are numerous streams, 

 offshoots of the river, ramifying throughout the whole country ; these are all 

 navigable by canoe and many of them by launch. The country is well wooded, 

 but, owing to the native system of continually clearing new ground for farms, 

 none of the bush is of any great age and there is no primeval forest. 



The main water-ways are the Niger and its tributary the Aseh River ; the 

 latter is navigable by launch only during the wet season. During the dry 

 months paths connect most of the villages ; of these paths those near the Niger 

 are merely dried water-courses, but those on the West of the Aseh River and 

 on the high ground in the north-east are passable all the year round. This 

 district abounds in game ; antelope, bush-cow, leopard and baboons are plentiful, 

 while elephant have been seen ; crocodiles and hippopotami are abundant in the 

 river and creeks. 



Sleeping sickness has been recorded from this district, while malaria, 

 elephantiasis and filariasis are all common. The natives are good fishermen, 

 and spend a considerable part of their time in canoes. 



Glossina palpalis is almost universally distributed in the district, but is 

 extremely abundant in the Aseh Creek. Specimens have been taken at 

 Manunkor, Isilegu and Ebuka, the last two places being in the Aseh Creek. 

 Other biting flies caught on or near the river in this region include : — 

 Tabanus fasciatus, T. secede?is, T. taeniola, Rhinomyza stimulans and Glossina 

 longipalpis. 



(4) Kwale, Agbor and Ishan. 



Removed from the Niger on the right bank are the districts of Kwale, Agbor 

 and Ishan. Only one of these, namely Agbor, did I manage to visit, but the 

 following notes will serve to indicate the nature of the country and its 

 vegetation. Practically nothing is known of the entomological fauna of any of 

 these districts. 



Kwale. — The country is undulating, rising gently from Okpara in the south- 

 west to Usonigbe in the north, with depressions in the valleys of the Ethiope 

 and Ihimi Rivers. In the north-east, and in the region of the Ethiope River 

 the country is dry, but the portion to the south of the Ihimi country is swampy. 

 The Ethiope River is navigable from Sapele to Kokori waterside for launches, 

 to Kwale for pinnaces, and to Obiariki for large canoes. The Ihimi River is 

 not navigable ; it is overgrown by dense foliage and is dry except in the rains. 

 Game is said to be scarce. 



Agbor. — This district is accessible either from Asaba, on the Niger, or from 

 Sapele or Benin City, in the south. The country generally is undulating and 

 there are no hills worthy of mention ; it is badly watered. The vegetation is 

 of a thick bushy character, which in parts carries heavy timber. The River 

 Osiomo, on the eastern boundary, has recently been cleared and permits of 

 large canoe traffic for the transport of produce to Sapele and Benin City. 

 Glossina palpalis was obtained at the town of Agbor. 



