BLACK-FLIES. ] 
5 
Or 
which repel these insects to some extent; dark stables are 
also a partial protection, also greasing with strong- 
smelling oils. 
Nobody can realize the beauty of a southern scenery who 
has not been there during plowing-time and when the 
buffalo-gnats were out in force. Just imagine a mule coated 
with stinking oil, or painted with mud or molasses, pulling 
a plow from which is suspended a tin pail containing a 
smudge, while the mule is further adorned by another tin- 
pail suspended from its neck; the latter contains also glow- 

Fig. 143.—Simulium minutum. Female. Greatly enlarged. Original. 
ing embers in which are produced such fine odors as can be 
made by burning leather and similar substances. 
The losses caused by this insect are, in some years, very 
great, and the State of Tennessee alone lost in 1874 as much 
as $500,000. This southern Buffalo-gnat occurs as far north 
as Minneapolis, at least a few specimens have been found 
there. Here in Minnesota we have a number of other species 
of this family of flies, which cause more or less injury to our 
stock. A few of them areillustrated in figs.143 to 151. The 
first species seen and felt occurs very early in spring, soon 
after the snow has disappeared. It is a very small species, 
