﻿INSECTS OF EASTERN TROPICAL AFRICA. 291 



Haematopota vittata, Lw. 



Though never very abundant and often extremely local, this species appears to 

 have a very wide distribution over Eastern Africa, particularly in the more well 

 wooded valleys. 



Haematopota neavei, Aust.* (PI. X, fig. 9.) 



No less than 67 Q and 1 c? of this striking species were taken in the Tero 

 Forest, South-East Buddu, Uganda, between 26th and 30th September 1911. 

 Though so abundant in this spot, it was local even there and I never met with 

 it elsewhere. 



Haematopota decora, Walk. 



Widely distributed over Eastern Africa. It seems to occur principally in low- 

 lying river valleys in moderately well wooded country. A few males were taken 

 during the month of September at damp sand in dried-up river beds in the 

 Luangwa Valley, Northern Rhodesia, and near the west shores of Lake Nyasa, 

 in October. 



Haematopota brucei, Aust. 



Of this striking species, hitherto known only from the unique type, I was 

 fortunate in obtaining two females in the Mabira Forest, Uganda, in July 1911. 

 I have however no reason to suppose that it is really scarce, though its season is 

 probably a very short one. 



Haematopota brunneseens, Ric. 



This is a common insect all over Uganda and the Nyanza Province of British 

 East Africa. There is also a single specimen in the National Collection taken 

 by Captain R. Crawshay and labelled Nyasaland, but until this is confirmed by 

 further specimens it would seem best to omit this from the list of Nyasaland 

 species. H. brunneseens occurs in some variety of country. It is often abundant 

 in the papyrus swamps in Uganda, especially those bordered by patches of forest. 



Genus Tabanus, L. 



I have already given some account of the seasonal prevalence of the flies of this 

 genus. Their range is very wide, and it is not very easy to generalise about their 

 habitats, but they are on the whole decidedly more abundant in river valleys, 

 particularly at low elevations, than elsewhere. In British East Africa they are 

 the dominant representatives of the family on the low ground, while Haematopota 

 are more dominant at the higher levels. Many species of Tabanus also occur in 

 plateau country of moderate elevation, at about 4,000 feet, notably in Northern 

 Rhodesia. At greater elevations, especially in heavily forested country, the 

 flies of this genus are poorly represented, though a few species are peculiar to 

 such localities, such as T. ruwenzorii, Ric, from the Ruwenzori range, and the 

 recently described T. canofasciatus, Aust., from Mt. Kenya and the neigh- 

 bouring Aberdare range. These two species occur in dense forest up to at 

 least 6,000 feet above sea-level. Tabanus qfricanus, T. fasciatus, and their 



*<$ee below, p. 33G. 

 ?6302 E 



