ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 477 



immediately preceding the conclusion. The length of the spindle in 

 the early secondary spermatocyte anaphase is not proportional to the 

 amount of chromosome divergence, and is sometimes smaller than the 

 lengths observed at the two last-mentioned previous stages. For 

 the case investigated, the length of the spindle at the conclusion of the 

 metaphase is not proportional to the volume of the chromatin or to 

 the volume of the cell. 



Male of Indian Stick-insect.* — Annie C. Jackson has some notes 

 on the male of Garansius morosus, which seems to be very rare among 

 those bred in captivity. Seven were identified out of three thousand. 

 Redtenbacher has described the male in his monograph on Phasmidae, 

 without any comment as to its rareness or otherwise. The male differs 

 from the female in its smaller size and more slender appearance, and 

 the antennas and legs are proportionately longer. The red vermilion 

 character present in the adult female on the inner side of the femur of 

 the front legs is usually absent in the male. 



As regards Lice.f — J. Parlane Kinloch communicates some interest- 

 ing facts in regard to the conditions of louse-life, and the best methods 

 of destroying lice and other " body vermin," which are of increased 

 importance nowadays in view of the established relationship between 

 their occurrence and the spread of disease, such as typhus. 



Leuwenhoek, more than 200 years ago, bred lice on his own person, 

 wearing for this purpose a special garter under which the insects were 

 confined. Kinloch has found a finger-stall still more effective. " Even 

 when the experiments were long continued the finger suffered only from 

 a condition somewhat analogous to a mild trench frost-bite as at present 

 described." Warburton bred lice in a glass tube, which was kept close 

 to the person night and day, except during the twice-a-day feeding. 

 But Kinloch has found that in the incubator at body-temperature, and in 

 the presence of a certain amount of moisture, lice can be bred and reared 

 and kept alive for many days. For feeding purposes they were lifted by 

 a claw in a pair of fine flat-pointed forceps. It is not yet clear whether 

 the louse introduces the infection of typhus or relapsing fever in the act 

 of feeding on its host, or whether it is by means of its faeces that infec- 

 tion is conveyed. It was observed that defalcation constantly accom- 

 panied feeding. 



Lice can be revived after immersion in a weak salt solution for sixty 

 hours, in river-water for forty-eight hours, in distilled for twelve hours. 

 Dry-heat appears to be more destructive than moist-heat of equal 

 temperature. It has been possible to revive lice after immersion for 

 one minute in water at 100° C. Lice exposed to the same temperature 

 for one minute in air never survive. Indeed, so far, neither lice nor 

 their eggs have been found capable of surviving exposure for half an hour 

 to a dry- heat of 65° C. 



It has been found impossible to revive lice or to rear their eggs after 



* Proc. Zool. Soc, 1915, p. 155. 



t British Med. Journ., June 19, 1915, pp. 1-9. 



Oct. Wth, 1915 2 T, 



