At the present moment our knowledge of the Dipterous fauna, including the Tabanidae, of Palestine is little better than complete ignorance, consisting as it does solely of a few isolated records of species—chiefly mosquitos. The following paper, which it is intended shall be succeeded by others dealing with other families of Diptera, based upon material collected by the author in Palestine during the recent campaign against the Turks, is a modest attempt to lift one small corner of the veil of obscurity.