BLOOD-SUCKING FLIES. 
211 
such as malaria, surra, n'gana (tsetse-fly disease), sleeping sickness, 
etc., has been fully established. 
There are several varieties of blood-sucking flies in Burma and 
the Shan States. Blood-sucking is generally confined to the female 
jsex. 
Sand-flies ... ... ... Hpy6k. 
Simulium Po-laung. 
(. Buffalo gnat j * 
Mosquitoes ... ... ... Kyin. 
Stomoxys 1 y.j^T 
C Ym-kya. 
/•Horse flies ... Hmet. 
\ Breeze flies ... Hmet-gyi. 
" J Sometimes called 
V gad-flies ... Hmet-kya, 
Tabanus 
The hmet-gyi is the large horse-fly and is not anything like so 
plentiful as the hmet-kya or smaller hmet which swarms on to 
animals causing herds to run away. 
Taungpyauk (goodSgc^doS) is an Upper Burma name for the 
hmetkya. 
Sand-flies and mosquitoes need no description to those concerned 
with this work ; nevertheless, of all the biting flies at present 
known, the mosquito ranks first in importance as it has been conclu- 
sively proved that certain species take a prominent part in the 
diffusion of certain diseases such as malarial fevers, filariasis. 
Furthermore they act as hosts in . which the germs pass a certain 
portion of their life cycle, hence without these insects the parasites 
could not exist. 
Simulium (The blood-blister fly). — This is common enough in 
certain localities and where found is a regular pest. They are well 
known to visitors to the hill station Thandaung, and are particularly 
troublesome in parts of the Salween. It is a small blackish hump- 
backed fly, part of the abdomen is yellow ; flight is noiseless. In 
human beings at the time of biting no inconvenience is caused, but 
later the bites become very irritable and in some individuals there 
is considerable swelling of the parts. The seat of the bite may be 
distinguished by the presence of a small globule of blood under the 
skin. 
Tabanidse. — Several species of this order are to be found in 
Burma and some of them are amongst the largest of Diptera, many 
of the horse flies measuring quite |- to i inch in length. Some 1,500 
species have been described, the majority belonging to the genus 
Tabanus, the other principal genera being Haematopota, Pangonia 
and Chrysops. They are voracious blood-suckers and cause very 
irritating bites and are much dreaded by all animals whose skins can 
