S. griseicollis, Becker. The so-called “nimitti” occurs in Upper Egypt and the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. It lives near the river and is not found more than half a mile from it. Human beings are bitten on the face and hands, animals in the region of the pudenda.
S. latipes, Meigen. This is a European species, also found in Natal.
S. wellmanni, Roubaud. The “ohomono” of Angola, where it bites viciously and is dreaded by the naked porters.
S. buissoni, Roubaud. Occurs in abundance in the Marquesas Islands. It has been suggested that this species may help to propagate leprosy.[394]
A large number of these insects have been described by Lutz in Brazil.[395]
A Simulium sp. (?) is very harmful to poultry in Cape Colony.[396]
In America, Simulidæ are most annoying. One, S. meridionale, Riley, also known as the turkey gnat in the Mississippi Valley, has been supposed to be the carrier of chicken cholera; anyhow, it has caused the death of thousands of chickens and turkeys in Virginia annually.[397]
In Mexico Townsend found a Simulium which was named S. occidentalis, which caused great annoyance to man, many people being so susceptible to them as to preserve through the gnat season a chronic inflammation of the exposed parts of face and neck, resulting from the repeated bites giving rise to sores.[398]
Men and horses have been partially incapacitated by the bites of sand-flies or Simulium in a Hampshire wood (Cantlie, Brit. Med. Journ., April 28, 1900, v, No. 2,052, p. 1023).