Insects. 



6183 



kleg^^ but a little smaller ; they are very quick and active, and storm 

 a horse like a swarm of bees, alighting on him in hundreds and 

 drinking his blood. The animal thus bitten pines away and dies, at 

 periods varying from a week to three months, according to the extent 

 to which he has been bitten. * * * The next day one of my 

 steeds died of the Izetze. The head and body of the poor animal 

 swelled up in a most distressing manner before he died; his eyes were 

 so swollen that he could not see, and in darkness he neighed for his 

 comrades who stood feeding beside him.' " 



The best notice which I have seen of the ravages of the tzetze-fly, I 

 proceed to cite from Mr. Anderson's interesting work entitled ' Lake 

 Ngami' where a figure is given of the insect, magnified to about 

 double its natural size. 



During my hunting excursions along the Teoge," observes this 

 traveller, " I encountered, for the first time, that most extraordinary 

 of insects the tzetze. Among the several scourges to which the 

 traveller is subjected in the South African wilderness, one of the 

 greatest is this insect ; not, it is true, as to the wayfarer's own person, 

 for he himself escapes almost unscathed, but as regards the horses 

 and cattle. 



The tzetze is found chiefly in the bush, or amongst the reeds, but 

 rarely in the open country. It is confined to particular spots, and is 

 never known to shift its haunts. Thus, cattle may be seen grazing 

 securely on one side of a river, whilst the opposite bank swarms with 

 the insect. Should the natives, who are w^ell acquainted with localities 

 frequented by the fly, have occasion to exchange their cattle-posts, 

 and are obliged to pass through tracts of country where it exists, they 

 choose, I am told, a moonlight winter's night ; as during the hours 

 of rest in the cold season, it does not bite. 



"In size the tzetze is somewhat less than the common blue-fly that 

 settles on meat, but its wings are longer. Yet, though so small and 

 insignificant in appearance, its bite carries with it a poison equal to 

 that of the most deadly reptile. Many is the traveller who, from his 

 draught-oxen having been destroyed by this pestiferous insect, has not 

 only had the object of his journey completely marred, but his personal 

 safety endangered by the loss of his means of conveyance. 



Very lately, indeed, a party of Griquas, about twenty in number, 

 who were out elephant hunting to the north-west of the Ngami, and 



* More properly " clegg " ; a name for the Haematopota pluvialis. [The clegg is 

 probably a very diflferent insect, Chrysops caecutiens— Ed. Zool.] 



