66 BRITISH BLOOD-SUCKING FLIES
RUB ZOV, I . A. 1 9 3 6 . Not e s on the Biology a n d Ecology of Bl a ck Flies. Ma g .
Parasit. Inst. Zool. Acad. Sci. U.R.S.S., 6, 169-200.
SMART, J. 1934. On the biology of the Black Fly, SimiiUutn omaium, Mg. Proc.
R. Phys. Soc., 22, 217-238.
SMART, J . 1935. The Internal Anatomy of the Black Fly, Simulhim ornatum Mg.
Ann. Trop. Med., 29, 161-170.
SMART, J . 1936. Notes on the Simuliidae occurring at Fortingal, Perthshire. Scott.
N a t . , 1936, 22-26.
STEWARD, J. S. 1937. The Occurrence of Onchocerca gutturosa Neumann in Cattle
in England, with an account of its Life-History and Development in Simulium
ornatum Mg. Parasitology, 29, 212-219.
STRONG, R. P. and others. 1938. Onchocerciasis in Africa and Central America.
Amer. J. Trop. Med., 18, Suppl . i.
TWINN, C. R. 1936. The Black Flies of Eastern Canada. Canad. J. Research, D,
14, 97-150.
UssiNG, Hj. 1925. Faunistiske og biologiske Bidrag til danske Simuher s Naturhistorie.
Vid. Medd. Dansk. Naturh. Foren., 80, 517-542.
W U , YI FANG. 1931. A Contribution to the Biology of Simulium (Diptera).
Mich. Acad. Sci. Arts and Lett., 13, 543-599-
BRACHYCERA
By H. Oldroyd, M.A.
Family
RHAGIONIDAE
(LEPTIDAE)
THE blood-sucking habit has been observed in certain members of the family
Rhagionidae ( snipe-flies though never in this country. Verrall (1909
p. 234) refused to accept the only European records of biting by species of
Rhagzo{Lephs\ but there are a number of independent authorities who claim to
have observed attacks made on human beings by members of the genera
Symphoromy^a ^nA possibly Atherix m North America, Dasyomma in S
America, and Spmiiopsis and possibly Austrohptis in Australasia. Species
of the first two genera mentioned occur in Britain, but no records exist of their
sucking blood. Lindner (1931, p. 140) remarks that in the Alps he has often
found females of Symphoromyia crasszcornis Panz. settling on his head and
sucking up the sweat, but however long they have been allowed to continue
doing so they have never pierced the skin. This, as he remarks, throws doubt
upon though It does not necessarily invalidate, most of the published records of
blood-sucking by this particular fly.
^ The North American authorities are included in the very full bibliography
given by Leonard (1930). s f .y
Family
TABANIDAE
HORSE-FLIES, BREEZE-FLIES, DUN-FLIES, CLEGS or STOUTS- I n Kent
he species oi Haernatopota (pi. 20, 21) were formeriy known locally as Brzmps
(Theobald, 1904, p IS), and Lady Fenn (1797, P- 69) says : " They have been
called burrel- or whame-flzes by some English authors." Moufet (1634, p 61^
wro e : KngY.s burrel-flye, stowt and dicitur : atque etiam ab adhaer^^
Ao Clegg & Chngez," but his later remark " Hanc Angli a Whame anda
Burrel-flye propria vocant " appears to apply to an Oestrid. According to a
' ' ^ ' h u n d e f f l y • '^^^^^t^^ns (pi. 16) is known locally in Hereford as the
Owing to the large size of many of the species Horse-flies, in the British
sles as elsewhere, are the most formidable of all blood-sucking Diptera
ndeed, a large fema e of Tabanus sudetzcus Zeller (pi. 30), measuring up to
I mch in length, with a wing expanse of neariy 2 inches, is exceeded in size
by very few exotic species of this family, and frequently excites the surprise of
67