GLOSSINA MORSITANS 



499 



utilized to a large extent, and the habitats of the flies imply that 

 they feed considerably on water animals. Crocodiles are said 

 by Koch to form the staple food on the shores of Lake Victoria, 

 and water fowl are beHeved to be attacked also. This species is 

 said, however, to thrive better on human blood than on any other. 

 Data concerning the life history has already been given. 



Glossina morsitans (Fig. 237), carrier of many trypanosome 

 diseases of animals and of the newly arisen and still narrowly 

 limited Rhodesian sleeping sickness, is the most widely distrib- 

 uted species of tsetse fly, occurring all the way across Africa 



Fig. 237. Glossina morsilans, carrier of Rliodesian sleeping sickness. X 4. 



(After Austen.) 



from Senegal to southern Sudan and Abyssinia on the north, 

 to northeastern Transvaal and Zululand on the south (Fig. 231, 

 \\\). This is also the best known species, and is the one which 

 has attracted to itself the attention of big-game hunters in Africa 

 for many years. It is slightly smaller than G. palpalis and much 

 lighter colored, with very inconspicuous markings on the gray 

 thorax, and with more or less distinct dark bands, not con- 

 tinuous across the middle line, on the buff colored abdomen. 

 As remarked elsewhere, G. morsitans is not conflned to the im- 

 mediate vicinity of water, but prefers hot dry country, covered 

 with bush or scattered trees. In some places it is found at an 



