﻿202 DR. B. MOISER — NOTES ON GLOSSINA TACHINOiDES, &C. 



On 17th Feb. two sheep were tied up in the kurimi for an hour, but no flies 

 were seen to alight on them, though we were bitten several times. I saw some 

 herds of cattle, sheep and goats grazing in close proximity to the kurimi, but 

 failed to see a single tsetse on any of them. Several horses were tethered in the 

 kurimi, and these were seen to be bitten by tsetses several times. I hope to be 

 able to keep these horses under observation. 



On 19th March I visited the place again, i.e., about a month after all under- 

 growth had been cut down, during which time the heaps had been allowed to lie on 

 the ground to become dry. 



From 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. I took observations in the belt. The cut under- 

 growth was still on the ground in large heaps, and now thoroughly dry. The 

 remarkably small number of flies seen was in great contrast to the large numbers 

 previously observed. In fact, only four specimens were caught by 14 men 

 during that time, all four being males. It was very evident that the flies had 

 left the kurimi, or were dead. Later in the day, several of the heaps of under- 

 growth were burnt. 



20th March. — From 9 a.m. till noon, I made observations in the kurimi, and 

 during that time I personally saw only two tsetse-flies. Twelve men were 

 stationed in various parts of the kurimi, and they reported that they had only 

 seen two flies, i.e., only four flies were seen altogether. Later, most of the 

 remaining heaps of undergrowth were burnt. I spent many hours searching for 

 pupa-cases, both in the loose earth, and amongst the debris in holes of trees, but 

 without success. 



On 21st March, a search was made in the thick bush to the E. and S.E. of the 

 kurimi, to ascertain where the flies had gone. Up to 2 p.m., twelve flies had 

 been caught, six males and six females, of which two were pregnant. One of 

 these extruded the larva after capture, the tumid lips being white. 



Five of these flies were caught under a dense mass of shady trees and creepers 

 surrounding a small pond. Unfortunately this particular spot had not been 

 previously examined, so that it is impossible to say if the flies had existed there 

 formerly or not. The other seven flies were caught at the spot marked by three 

 red dots on the map, where we had seen tsetses formerly, so that I do not think 

 these flies had come from the kurimi. 



In the afternoon a couple of hours were spent in the kurimi, but only one fly 

 was seen during that time. It is thus clear that the flies are no longer living in 

 their former abode. The destruction of the undergrowth has resulted either in 

 the desertion or death of these insects, and it would appear, as far as can be 

 judged at present, that the flies have died, since they cannot be found anywhere 

 in the neighbourhood. This seems to show that the presence of undergrowth (as 

 well as shady trees) is a necessary condition in the habitation of G. tachinoides. 



The next day, a few odd heaps of undergrowth, which had escaped destruction, 

 were set on fire, so that now the kurimi is absolutely clear of undergrowth, but 

 the tall shady tamarind and ebony trees are still standing. Dried leaves, etc., 

 were also swept into heaps and burnt. During the whole of the day not a single 

 tsetse-fly was seen in the kurimi. 



Gteidam, 23rd March, 1912. 



