52 R. NEWSTEAD—THE PAPATACI FLIES (PHLEBOTOMUS) 
these insects remain in their hidden and sheltered retreats and rarely venture 
forth at such times. There is little wonder at this, as their frail bodies and 
delicate wings are ill-suited for flight under such conditions ; moreover it is ¢ 
habit common to many members of the same order ; minute midges, in particular, 
are often seen to swarm on still warm evenings, and rarely if ever assemble in 
numbers under any other circumstances. 
A general belief is held by the Maltese that certain kinds of trees and shrubs 
(fig and loquat especially) form the principal resorts of these insects, and many 
are also under the impression that they breed either in the foliage or branches or 
in the fallen and dead leaves which lie beneath them. There may of course be a 
measure of truth in these theories; but we may at once dismiss the statement 
that they breed in the trees. It is perfectly obvious, however, that the presence 
of ornamental shrubs and fruit trees in the walled-in gardens would afford them 
just the kind of shelter and shade which they require, and would enable them in 
all probability to travel the more safely from their breeding-places to the house 
in the immediate vicinity. It is just possible that rotting vegetation in damp 
shady places, such as shrubberies, may form a breeding-place also, but so far as 
our researches have extended up to the present moment we have no evidence in 
support of this view. Considerable attention was paid to searching such 
materials but with negative results, as has already been stated. It is clearly 
evident moreover that dry materials, whether in a state of decay or otherwise, 
do not form a suitable breeding-place, especially dead leaves which may 
accumulate on the surface of the ground beneath the trees; light and dryness 
being both unsuitable conditions for the preliminary stages of the Phlebotomus. 
The characteristic attitude of Phlebotomus is portrayed on Plates II and IIT. 
When at rest the wings slightly diverge and are elevated at a considerable angle 
above the thorax and abdomen. On the least disturbance the insects make 
short rapid flights, almost invariably to the right or left, reminding one of the 
rapid movements of a flea rather than those of a winged insect. Occasionally, 
however, they will take long-continued flights, when the course is more or less 
direct and distinctly midge-like. Their movements on the wing can be followed 
with little difficulty in daylight, but by artificial light it is almost impossible to 
do so for more than a few seconds at a time. 
Both sexes live but a short time in captivity, unless they are fed upon human 
blood. Without this they will subsist on wet blotting-paper or other damp 
materials, such as soil, fresh leaves, &ec. Under such conditions many examples 
survived for periods varying from three to nine days though the majority died 
on the third and fourth days, even although the females, in many instances, had 
taken a meal of blood a few hours before they were captured. 
SEASONAL PREVALENCE. 
The adult insects were more or less prevalent during the whole of my stay in 
the island (July, August, and the first week in September). That the numbers 
fluctuated during this period has already been mentioned, but this was apparently 
due, in a large measure at least, to variations in temperature, humidity, and 
wind. Relatively few Papataci flies occur before the middle of June, and 
