760 EXPEKIMENT STATIOIS' EECOKD. 



this trouble, and entomologists are divided as to the cause, though iu most 

 instances a minute mite has been noted as associated with it." This mite lias 

 recently been found by Nathan Banks to be new to science and the name Tnr- 

 sonemus icaitei has been given to it. 



In this paper the author has brought together the recorded facts concerning 

 it, together with remarks on the injuries caused by some other species of 

 Tarsonemus, including T. oryzw, which infests the culms of the rice plant in 

 Italy and produces the malady described by Negri under the name "bian- 

 chella; " T. spirifex (E. S. R., 19, p. 252) ; T. ananas (E. S. R., 11, p. 256) ; T. 

 banerofti, which injures sugar cane in Barbados and also occurs in Queens- 

 land; T. culinicolus (E. S. R., 12, p. 970) ; T. latus, which was foimd by Banks 

 in some small mango plants in one of the Department greenhouses in Wash- 

 ington ; and T. pal1i<ius, which was found on a chrysanthemum in a green- 

 house near Jamaica, N. Y. 



There is said to be but little information available bearing on the control of 

 this mite. Pruning out the lateral shoots from the injured trees, thus forcing 

 one of the more terminal shoots, is said to have been followed hy a Maryland 

 nursery company with goo<l results. It is thought that a contact spray, such 

 as kerosene emulsion or whale-oil-soap solution, and esi)ecially the self-boiled 

 lime-sulphur wash, will be effective. 



The fecundity of the cattle tick and the various periods of its life, F. 

 Lahille (Bol. Min. Agr. [Buenos Aires], 13 {1911), No. 5, pp. 185-200, figs. 

 5). — This paper deals largely with the oviposition of Margaropus mlcroplus. 



The relation of the sheep-tick flag'ellate (Crithidia melophagi) to the 

 sheep's blood, L. D. Swingle {Wyoming i<tta. Bui. 91, pp. 3-16, figs. J).— This 

 bulletin reports investigations conducted with a view to determining whether 

 the flagellate C. melophagi, which in this country is found in the digestive 

 tract of nearly 10 j)er cent of the so-called sheep tick {Mclophagus ovinus), 

 can be transferred to sheep's blood and if so. whether it is capable of produc- 

 ing any disease. 



The studies have led the author to conclude that this " flagellate is not con- 

 nected in any way with a sheep trypanosome, or any other parasite of the 

 sheep's blood; that it is strictly an insect flagellate, no phase of whose life 

 cycle is undergone in the sheep as a host ; and, moreover, that it can not be 

 comuninicated to the sheep by the bite of the tick, or by mechanical inocula- 

 tion or by feeding." 



The relation of Crithidia melophagi to the sheep's blood, with remarks 

 upon the controversy between Dr. Porter and Dr. Woodcock, L. D. Swingle 

 (Trans. Aincr. Micros. ,Soe., 30 (191]), No. J,, pp. .37.5-28."?).— The data here 

 presented have been largely included iu the paper iiotetl above. 



The role of insects as carriers of disease, E. Sergeois (Ahs. in Jour. Amer. 

 Med. Assoc, 58 (1912), No. 8, pp. 59 ff, 595). — This is a study of the bedbug as 

 a carrier of disease, in which the author gives the anatomy and life history 

 of the bedbug, and discusses the experimental work which has been done, 

 especially in regard to relajising fever. 



He concludes that it is possible for the bedbug to be an intermediary for 

 disease germs. " Ordinarily it plays the part merely of a carrier ; seldom is 

 it the host. In no disease is it of specific epidemologic importance, yet un- 

 doubtedly through bedbugs such diseases as relapsing fever and kala-azar 

 remain endemic in certain places. It is known that infectious organisms may 

 remain alive a long time in the bodies of bedbugs. In order for the infection 

 to be transmitted, the micro-organism must escape from the crushed bedbug 

 and come in contact with some abrasion in the skin, into which it must be 

 impelled with some force; these conditions are liable to occur iu scratching a 



