PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 21, NO. 8, NOV., I919 193 
last year, especially on the lower end of the road to Cape vSable — 
beyond Paradise Key. 
June 4. First appearance of T. melanocerus Wied.; this gadfly 
was observed only about dusk and dawn — they w T ere more nu- 
merous than last season. T. lincola w r as plentiful. T. atratus and 
T. turbidus were only occasionally seen. 
On June 9 near the dredge T. americanus, T. melanocerus , T . 
flavus and T. atratus were collected, T. atratus being the most 
numerous species. 
On June 14 the dredge was about */•> mile from West bake and 
two miles from the limit of Dade County line. The 'glades w r ere 
full of water to the brim and about one mile of the roadway in 
the glades between here and Homestead was under water. Water 
was running across the road east and w r est of the Park where 
the Tabanid larvae w r ere dug up. The water was w r aist deep on 
this date and no more grass grows here than the little that was 
present in February, when the water had just receded. 
June 10-30 T. flavus was more numerous than in 1918; T. 
atratus was more numerous on the prairies but few T er were in the 
hammock. 
July 10. One adult of T. flavus and two adults of T. melano - 
cents were collected on the veranda screen. Adults of Chrysops 
were numerous at the hammock. 
On July 16 numerous female adults of the small T. costalis 
Wied. and a few adults of the slightly larger T. lineola were aggre- 
gated in the windows of stores and garages at Homestead, Florida; 
customers were very much annoyed by these gadflies. 
J uly 29. Tabanus melanocerus and T. linoela were very common 
around stock on the highway, also in pine woods where mules 
were at work. Chrysops were very numerous and troublesome. 
The water on the ’glades was high. 
August 9. T, atratus , turbidus and costalis were common. 
On August 15 several species of Tabanids were collected. 
Aug. 23. Heavy rains appeared to increase the number of the 
Tabanids as more were collected than on Aug. 9 and 15; they were 
more aggressive both to man and beast. 
By September 8, only an occasional adult Tabanid was to be seen 
at Paradise Key. At the dredge, southwest on the Cape Sable 
road, Tabanids were still numerous in the bunk house. 
On Sept. 25-28 T. costalis was the species still aggressive. 
To summarize — some species of Tabanus , as americanus and 
trijunctuSy are apparently restricted to a definite season, whereas 
other species are active throughout the entire year. 
A calendar of the seasonal activity of Tabinidae (1918 to 1919) 
in the lower Everglades of Florida is appended. 
194 PROC. ENT. SOC. WASH., VOL. 21, NO. 8, NOV., 1919 
By the expedient of shooting the flies while hovering, the evi- 
dence has been increased that the main swarm at dawn consists 
of males only and that the females are attracted to these swarm- 
ing males for mating, as in case of certain mosquitoes. These 
flights are probably not the result of concerted action but rather 
a consequence of imitation or desire to follow others. 
With regard to our previous statement that at certain times 
while hovering T. americanus reverses and hovers upside down 
—this has not yet been definitely proven or disproven. It is 
verv difficult to shoot the flies. 
It must not be concluded from the foregoing notes that mos- 
quitoes and gadflies at Paradise Key are a pest at this beautiful 
Everglade hammock throughout the entire year. These insects 
are not troublesome during the winter months. In place of the 
hum of blood-thirsty mosquitoes, there is at dusk the hum of 
beautiful moths ( Spkingidae ) which hover over wild purple ver- 
bena blossoms. At night, near West Take, mosquitoes bother 
while sleeping outdoors (Feb. 25) but these can not be com- 
pared with the later hordes which occur at Paradise Key and the 
offshore reefs. On the open, sawgrass prairies, mosquitoes are 
not a pest. 
I/arge portions of the Lower Everglades should be set aside as 
a federal preserve. Unless this is done, carelessly, or wantonly 
set forest fires, hurricanes following tree cuttings and trespass 
will ruin the wildness and natural beauty of this region. Hunt- 
ing must be prohibited to save the remaining wild bird life, once 
so wonderful. This will be especially necessary after Ingraham 
Highway from Miami to Cape Sable has been completed. Many 
interesting water birds are still plentiful. 
Anyone who, approaching the edge of Royal Palm Hammock 
(Paradise Key), has seen these majestic, feathery palms — -50 to 
130 feet high — overtopping the other hammock trees, in silhou- 
ette against a sky tinted by dawn or at dusk will desire to pre- 
serve this never-to-be-forgotten sight (Plate 17) for future gen- 
erations. 
Royal Palm Hammock (Paradise Key) is at present a State 
Park under supervision of the Florida Federation of Women’s 
Clubs. This organization is to be commended on its successful 
efforts in conservation. However, it lacks funds and should 
have further assistance from the state or from the federal gov- 
ernment* 
