﻿INSECTS OF EASTERN TROPICAL AFRICA. 277 



developed only exceptionally into really useful collectors, while those of Uganda, 

 of whom I had expected much, seemed altogether to lack the necessary energy 

 and enterprise. 



The secret of successful insect collecting in Africa lies largely in the careful 

 organisation of equipment and native assistants. As soon as a competent staff 

 has been got together the amount of work which can be got through is almost 

 unlimited. This, of course, necessarily takes time. It is always well worth 

 while to expend time and trouble in teaching each new collector, since the native 

 learns to do his work in the right way just as easily as in the wrong. He is, 

 however, such a creature of habit, that having once learned wrong methods 

 it becomes extraordinarily difficult to get incorrect ideas out of his head. 



So far as equipment for native collectors is concerned, the writer always armed 

 half his staff with large kite nets having long handles, a box of papers for 

 Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, &c, a tube charged with chloroform on cotton wool, 

 and one or two pill-boxes. In addition to biting flies these boys chiefly collected 

 insects suitable for papering. The long nets were found very necessary for many 

 biting flies, especially Tabanidae drinking at damp sand or attacking domestic 

 animals, occasions when they are usually very wary. A very useful adjunct to the 

 equipment is a satchel or some form of haversack, since it must be remembered 

 that natives seldom possess pockets ! 



The other half of the staff were supplied with small, short-handled, round nets, 

 about a foot to fifteen inches in diameter, cyanide bottles, and small tubes and 

 pill-boxes for Diptera or other delicate insects. These boys, in addition to 

 biting flies, collected principally Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, etc. 

 They were usually instructed to work in couples, one of each class, so that they 

 might be of mutual assistance and between them prepared for all emergencies. 



When not on the march the boys usually worked from about 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m. 

 Special work, such as searching for the species of Glossina with crepuscular 

 habits, was of course also done when necessary. These native collectors are 

 easily taught to keep separate, predaceous Asilidae or other insects taken with 

 prey, or two individuals taken " in coitu." It is however unfortunately most 

 inadvisable to give rewards for specimens of this kind, as by so doing a doubt 

 at once arises as to the facts. 



With the more intelligent boys I found it of great value to stimulate their 

 interest by showing them pictures, coloured if possible, of biting flies or any 

 specially wanted insect. 



Order DIPTERA. 



Family Chironomidae. 



The bulk of the midges and other small biting insects in my collection have 

 not yet been fully worked out systematically. It is therefore not possible to 

 give more than a general account of each genus. 



Genus Culicoides, Latr. 



These small midges are far better represented in Uganda and the Nyanza 

 Province of British East Africa than in any of the other countries under 

 discussion. No less than five species are known from that region, and there are 



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