7
This large grazing area, free from Tabanus, is to be cut up by irrigation
after a few years ; there seems to be no objection therefore to over-stocking it
with camels meanwhile every Surra season by sending more camels of the
Montgomery and Grantee Corps to graze here in the rest period.
The approximate extent of the area is the centre and eastern part of the
district south of the railway wherever it is neither irrigated nor subject to
annual flooding from Ravi or Sutlej.
30. MONTGOMERY DISTRICT.—Continuing the tour from Multan district
in September, I travelled across the bed of the old Beas and across the higher
lying Ganji Bar, the route from Pakhi Mian being east to Mundyal and then
north to Chichawatni. No Tabanus could be found the whole way. The
country was in flood but the flooding was of rain-water and not from the rivers
and it drains away too quickly for Tabanus to breed.
This portion of the district is safe for camels until irrigation arrives.
The vicinity of Montgomery itself was found free from Tabanus, as it is
on the Ganji Bar.
A visit was made to Rakhs Mirdadshah and Mirdad, but the conditions
were so unfavourable for finding Tabanus on that day that no definite conclu-
sion could be drawn.
31. GUJARAT DISTRICT.—Veterinary Assistant Ata Mohamed was sent in
August to obtain further details on the distribution of Tabanus between Jhelum
river and the Pabbi hills. They were found very numerous in the narrowest
portion of the area between Changus and Pooran and are found on the road
nearly all the way to purana Jhelum.
At Lala Musa and Kharian, Tabanus was only found at the latter place
and with difficulty and is so scanty in number as to be negligible.
32. JHELUM AND RAWALPINDI DISTRICTS (EXCLUSIVE OF SALT RANGE AND
MURREE ROAD)—
Pind Dadan Khan tehsil.—At Rawal the presence of Tabanus was noted,
during flood.
Chakwal to Mandra road. - When travelling on this road during the
early part of the monsoon only one Tabanus was found the whole
way.
Rakh Grat was visited in September by Veterinary Graduate, Kalian
Singh. There is a good deal of permanent water in this rakh and
Tabanus though small in size were found in it though not numer-
ous and only in the vicinity of the water.
Rakh Nili.—In the monsoon season this rakh was often visited and no
Tabanus were seen.
Sohawa —Tabanus were to be found now and then near the tanks during
the hot-weather and rains and the biting-flies were sufficient to
cause the infection of one horse out of several which stood within
a few yards of a number of camels with Surra and about 30 yards
from a tank.
33. RAWALPINDI-MURREE ROAD.—This road having been under suspicion
has been watched for Tabanus this year. Reliable information is still wanting
as to the presence of the fly at and beyond Sunnybank in the direction of
Changlagalli and Baragalli where native officers allege its presence, and in
connection with which it is useful to note that Mr. Montgomery found Tabanus
to be very numerous in March and April at another hill station (Dalhousie).
Between Sunnybank and Tret the fly can be found but in such scanty
numbers that this part of the road cannot be considered a Surra-zone.
The same applies to the camping grounds situated around the dak bungalow
at Tret.
I have seen camel corps camped in the fields by the side of the stream 1
or 2 miles below Tret on the west side of the road. This situation is not safe
on account of the presence of Tabanus here in April and in the monsoon season
and should therefore be avoided.