190 
Psyche 
[December 
Entomologists acquainted with the habits of the Hippo- 
boscidse might perhaps object to the Olfersia theory of 
leishmaniasis that these flies, as a rule, are not prone to 
bite man after leaving their normal host. Thus C. M. Wen- 
yon (1911, Parasitology, IV, pp. 292 and 299), in the 
course of his studies of human Oriental sore at Bagdad, 
found that the dog-fly (evidently Hippobosca capensis v. 
Olfers, although no name is given), will bite human beings, 
but that this is an uncommon occurrence. He was only 
bitten on two occasions, though he lived in close association 
with a number of dogs, all of which had many of these in- 
sects about them. Wenyon did not succeed in inducing these 
flies to feed on cases of Oriental sore in man. They very 
quickly died if kept in confinement away from a dog. It is 
possible, however, that certain species of Hippoboscidse 
attack man more readily than others. The European 
Cratxrina pallida (Latreille), a common parasite of swifts, 
for instance, has been observed repeatedly in Germany bit- 
ing human beings, even indoors, either during the day or at 
night in bed. Similar observations have been made in 
France. 1 
Olfersia vulturis van der Wulp 
Olfersia vulturis van der Wulp, 1903, “Biol. Centr.-Amer.,” 
Dipt., II, p. 429, PI. XIII, figs. 1-la ( $ ?; off a vul- 
ture; Rio Sucio, Costa Rica). J. Bequaert, 1926, “Med. 
Rept. Hamilton Rice 7th Exp. Amazon,” p. 240. Fer- 
ris, 1928, Ent. News, XXXIX, p. 36, figs. A-B (larva). 
Chichen Itza, common on the black vulture, Catharista 
urubu (Vieillot), although not all birds are infested. One 
bird shot on June 1st was free of flies; another, examined 
the next day, had eight parasites. In Yucatan the black 
vulture is known as i( sapilote ” in Spanish and as “Tchom” 
^ee: Erich Hesse, 1919, Jl. f. Ornithologie, LXVII, p. 408-409; 
1920, Zeitschr. Wiss. Insektenbiol., XVI, p. 33; 1929, Loc. cit., XXIV, 
pp. 70-71. Also E. Christeller, 1924, Loc. cit., XIX, p. 103; J. Guiart 
and Lesieur, 1912, Paris-Medical, Dec. 12; and F. Moutier, 1928, Ann. 
Paras. Hum. Comp., VI, pp. 105-106. 
