292 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Dec 



leather or metal: highly polished .steel.it is true, did become 

 slightly blued, but only wheu exposed to a i'ar greater density of 

 the gas thau what proved tatal to even the eggs of the insect. The 

 relief of the authorities when the head trimmer reported that not a 

 single living insect was discovered among the multitude gathered 

 by his woi'Kmeu during their careful inspection of the treated 

 coaches was really amusing, but the personally expressed thanks of 

 the general manager, to say nothing of the calibre of the cheque left 

 behind, was convincing of their appreciation of the service and of 

 the past gravity of the situation- A corps of fumigators now takes 

 charge of the through trains as they arrive from the north and for 

 many months there has been but a single complaint ; this one tailed 

 to be substantiated, tor although the coach accused was immedi- 

 ately side tracked and overhauled no living bugs were found. Out of 

 justice to the railroad management [ feel bound to add that the in- 

 fested condition of the coaches was by no means due to neglect or 

 indifference, and that the abundance of the pest may be safely at- 

 tributed to circumstances of climate and travel. The climate is a 

 warm one, the train journeys are very long, and it is usual for trav- 

 ellers to carry their own bedding. The cape excels iu at least three 

 productions, diamonds, gold and bed-bugs. 



Notwithstanding the potency of hydrocyanic acid gas as an in- 

 secticide, I cannot say that I am iu favor of recommending it to the 

 public for the destruction of house or granary pests. It is too ter- 

 ribly dangerous to trifle with and the least infringement in the nec- 

 essary precautions may mean death to someone. Cyanide is no\v 

 largely used for the extraction of gold and, despite of the utmost 

 care in its employment. I am told that fatal accidents to native em- 

 ployees are not infrequent My suggestion to anyone who contem- 

 platesusing the gas in a dwelling is to first administer a slight 

 amount of solid cyanide to au animal. Most persons will be so ap- 

 palled aud horrified by the suddenness of the end that they will 

 have no desire remaining to assume risks in the house. 1 have re- 

 peatedly inserted small particles in bits of dry meat and laid these 

 as baits for feline disturbers of my evening labors, aud 1 am not ex- 

 aggerating when T say that, as a rule,the creatures drop dead almost 

 instantly and often with the meat still in their mouths; seldom do 

 they die more than three or four feet from where the bait was laid. 

 In house fumigation it is not danger to the operator that 1 fear, 

 but such an happening as an unexpected intrusion by a party all 

 unconscious of the danger. Accidents of such a nature are improb- 

 able, sure enough, but they are possible, and when the chances favor 

 fatal consequences even remote possibilities should have great 

 weight. The story has reached me that not long ago a native la- 

 borer,wholly unaware of his clanger, sought to enter one of the rail- 

 way coaches undergoing treatment. It seems that he came up un- 

 observed and, as luck would have it, went straight to the only uu- 



