Author: Ernest Edward Austen

Publisher:

Published: 2015-06-30

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 9781330524473

Excerpt from Illustrations of African Blood-Sucking Flies Other Than Mosquitoes and Tsetse-Flies The belief that Insects act as the carriers of certain diseases has only of late years been scientifically established. There is, however, at the present time no disposition to underrate the practical importance of an accurate knowledge of the blood-sucking forms. It is hoped that the "Illustrations" now published may be of service to some of those who are engaged in the conflict with disease in Africa, as well as to others who are interested in the study of the Diptera. A scheme for the preparation of a Monograph dealing with bloodsucking Insects in general was made by Sir E. Ray Lankester, K.C.B., when Director of the Natural History Departments of the British Museum. To wait until the Monograph could have been completed would have been to delay unduly the publication of the information which can now be given. The Diptera, or Two-winged Flies, are not only wanting in the attractiveness of form and colour so noticeable in the Lepidoptera for instance, but they are even regarded with dislike by the majority of people. These considerations will account for some of the deficiencies in the collections contained in our Museums; and the preparation of a satisfactory Monograph must accordingly be preceded by the accumulation of a large amount of material for study. The Trustees therefore decided, on the suggestion of Mr. Charles O. Waterhouse, Assistant Keeper in charge of the Insect Section, to issue a series of volumes, from time to time, dealing with the blood-sucking Diptera in the way that is found possible and desirable at the moment. Four volumes of a Monograph of Mosquitoes, by Mr. F. V. Theobald, have been issued, from 1901 to 1907; and a fifth volume of the same Monograph is in course of preparation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.