226 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '08 



4. The shell of the parent, when dead and empty of eggs, 

 usually dries up in situ without causing further trouble. 



5. The eggs once having reached the dust of the floor de- 

 velop precisely like those of many other fleas. 



In the light of what has been said it will be seen that so long 

 as natives go about with infected feet, chiggers will abound. 

 Domestic animals, too, should be kept at some distance from 

 white quarters and the floors of bungalows should be occasion- 

 ally sprinkled with naphthol or kerosene. I have several times 

 pointed out* that this flea is one of the principal factors in the 

 production of the tropical disease known as Ainhuin. 



19. 



No. 1067. Calandra oryscte L. (Coleopt.) 

 This troublesome weevil is a great nuisance in stores of meal- 

 ies (maize) and other grain. A moth (not yet heard from) 

 shares with it this evil reputation. The native blacks in order 

 to preserve their seed corn, store it in earthen pots the mouths 

 of which they seal with clay. The local name for the weevil 



is "Omelekese." 



20. 



No. 876. Dorylus nigricans 111. (Hymenopt.) 

 This is the hated "army ant" of this district. Having been 

 several times driven from my tent by them I can personally 

 testify to their mandibular powers. In former days a favorite 

 method of punishment inflicted by the native chiefs was to 

 bind hand and foot the victim who was then thrown into a 

 nest of "army ants"- here called "Ovisonde." Careful house- 

 wives, however, welcome the approach of the ants and joy- 

 fully vacate for them the bungalow. For after a column of 

 "army ants" has minutely explored a dwelling not a bug, beetle, 

 cockroach, mouse, rat, snake or other pest remains behind. 

 Much has been written on the habits of these and related ants, 

 so I will not extract in detail from my notes the observations 

 there recorded concerning their column formations, tunnelling 

 under streams, forming living bridges over water, removing 

 or elevating obstacles from their line of march, etc., etc. 



*Jour. Trop. Med., 1906 p. 31 ; Boston Med. and Surg. Jour., 1906 p. 

 489. 



