﻿182 JAS. J. SIMPSON — ENTOMOLOGICAL 



Glossina palpalis is frequently met with in Calabar ; this is due in great part 

 to the large amount of dense bush on the face of the cliff separating the town 

 from the river. Dr. Chichester has time and again condemned this and urged its 

 removal, and it is to be hoped that soon this will be accomplished. 



Capt. Rojas of the Southern Nigeria Marine captured several specimens of 

 Tabanus secedens and T.fasciatus during a trip up the Calabar River to Uwet, 

 and informed me that both these species are everywhere abundant on the river. 

 Tabanus combustus has also been recorded from Uwet. 



During my visit to this region, I had an opportunity of examining both the 

 Henshaw Creek, which joins Calabar and the Kwa River, and also the Ikang 

 Creek, which leads through to the German frontier. Both these creeks are very 

 narrow, in fact, it is difficult for a small launch to turn in either of them ; the 

 ground is muddy and the vegetation is dense ; the air is musty and damp ; and 

 altogether they are pestilential passages. In Henshaw Creek Tabanus secedens, 

 T. besti, and Glossina palpalis were a source of great annoyance, while during the 

 day in the Ikang Creek the same three species, together with Glossina caliginca, 

 kept one continually on the alert. It was my misfortune to have to anchor in 

 the latter creek over-night, and never did I see such swarms of mosquitos 

 (Myzomyia costalis). From five o'clock onwards, these attacked unrelentingly, 

 and as the launch was small, it was impossible to have one's bed put up early. 

 Consequently, every attempt to do so and at the same time exclude mosquitos 

 ended in absolute failure. It is no exaggeration to say that there were thousands 

 of these in the small cabin persistently throughout the whole night. The fact 

 also that an anchor-light was essential attracted more and more, and the native 

 sailors, who are generally oblivious to a reasonable number, spent the whole 

 night, like the writer, moving about and trying, though unsuccessfully, to reduce 

 the number of voracious onslaughts. 



The following are some further records of blood-sucking insects from the Cross 

 River area : — 



At the mouth of the river — Tabanus obscurehirtus. 



Stubbs Creek— - Tabanus socialis and Chrysops silacea. 



Awa Creek — Chrysops silacea. 



At Ndogolai — Chrysops dimidiata. 

 Dr. R. W. Gray has also sent specimens of Culicoidcs grakami, Phlebotomus 

 duboscqi and Simulium damnosum, from the Cross River region, but without any 

 definite data or localities. 



(6) Oban. 



This district lies to the east of the Cross River, at the foot of the Kamerun 

 mountains. In physical characteristics it is quite different from any other region 

 in Southern Nigeria, and on this account, and also from the fact that it is the 

 meeting-place of the great Congo Forest with the belt which stretches up the 

 West Coast, the fauna is peculiarly interesting and would well repay investigation. 



Unfortunately, the writer was unable to visit this region during his tour in 

 Southern Nigeria, but the following description is based on the official report for 

 that colony, while, for the few insect records, we are indebted to Mr. J. H. J. 

 Farquhar, Provincial Conservator of Forests in the Colony. 



