OF WASHINGTON. 211 



that there are no true gall-making Cynipids known in tropical 

 Africa. The genus Rhoophilus has been described from Africa, 

 but, in his opinion, this may not be a gall-making form. 



Mr. Howard, in view of the fact that several persons who 

 had visited the tropics were present at the meeting, inquired as 

 to the abundance of plant-lice in tropical regions, and w r as an 

 swered by Messrs. Fairchild and Ashmead, that they seemed to 

 be much less abundant than in temperate regions. 



A short paper w r as read by Mr. Howard, entitled *' Notes on 

 the House-fly."* 



In discussing this paper, Mr. Ashmead suggested the trial of 

 chloride of lime, which is commonly used in the Southern States 

 as a disinfectant and for sprinkling on garbage of various sorts. 



Mr. Schwarz, apropos to the statement as to the desirability of 

 killing the early flies, stated that, in his opinion, there is a fallacy 

 involved in this general recommendation regarding injurious in 

 sects. Where a species breeds with such astonishing rapidity as 

 does the house-fly, there is little use in killing part of the early 

 females if others are allowed to escape. He stated that it made 

 little difference to him whether one million of flies were bother 

 ing him in July or two millions ! 



Apropos to the incidental remark in the paper about the carrying 

 of contagion by house-flies, Mr. Fairchild spoke of the prevalence 

 of an eye-disease in the Fiji Islands. Very many natives have 

 lost the sight of one eye, and some of two, from this disease, which 

 is generally considered to be carried by flies. The houses of the 

 white inhabitants are thoroughly screened, the heads of children 

 are protected by nets when they go out of doors, and even the 

 natives customarily carry branches or fans in their hands to brush 

 the flies away from their heads. 



Messrs. Fernow and Howard spoke of the similar carriage of 

 the purulent conjunctivitis, prevalent in Egypt, by house-flies, 

 and Mr. Benton spoke of his personal observations in various 

 countries at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, confirming the 

 opinion that the disease is carried by the house-fly. Mr. Ashmead 

 referred to the probable spread of "sore eye" in Florida by 

 Hippelates. 



* Published in Bull. 10, Div. Entom., U. S. Dept. Agr., pp. 63-65. 



