I am exceedingly obliged to you for your most helpful letter and the live specimen, which I learnt a great deal from, before we re-captured it, and stopped its activity with some benzine. It slipped out of my fingers somehow, out of your careful packing, and kept flying at my light woollen shawl, varied by taking a promenade (which I was very conscious of) on the top of my head. It struck me as suggestive that it selected me (not my sister or our housekeeper) for this purpose, because I never use any kind of pomatum. I like my hair as smooth as can be, so the creature did not establish itself, but judging by feeling, it had much pleasure in its survey. I noticed the set of the wings, and perhaps I can get a figure.
When the flies are more plentiful, so that it would not give you too much trouble to secure some, I certainly should like two or three very much, but please do not let me intrude too much on your good nature and time. I will write again presently to say how I am getting on with the leaflet, but I did not like to delay thanking you heartily longer than I could.
Fly, with wings expanded; also viewed sideways. Larva and pupa, after De Geer.
FIG. 19.—GREAT OX GADFLY, TABANUS BOVINUS, LINN.
May 10, 1895.
I am very greatly obliged to you for all the information in your letter, and also for the four live and hearty flies. These have been very valuable to me, and I cannot help thinking I have discovered a point not previously observed in the structure of the feet which may prove of importance practically. However it may have been known, so I have written to-day to our great English authority, Mr. Meade, to ask him what he thinks about it and will write you again. I fancy that your specimen’s being so fresh allowed me to make out the point. Still I may be wrong.
P.S.—I was told yesterday that a worse trouble in the forest than the Forest fly is the “Great Gadfly” the Tabanus bovinus. Do you think this is so? This fly is such a very large creature indeed, see figure (19) of it with wings laid at rest and expanded. I should have expected to hear of it before now.
Magnified (after Railliet).
(a) CLEG, OR SMALL RAIN BREEZE FLY.
(b) AUTUMNAL BREEZE FLY.
(c) SMALL BLINDING BREEZE FLY.
FIG. 20.—BREEZE FLIES: (a) HÆMATOPOTA PLUVIALIS. (b) TABANUS AUTUMNALIS. (c) CHRYSOPS CÆCUTIENS.
May 20, 1895.