ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY. 261 



meat were not infectetl. Flies fed on anthrax spores did, however, infect the 

 sirup which was given to them as food." 



Notes on fruit flies (Trypetidae) with descriptions of new species, W. W. 

 Fboggatt (Proc. Linn. Soc. N. 8. Wales, 35 {1910), pt. 4, pp. 862-872) .—In this 

 paper the author presents further information upon fruit flies (E. S, R., 22, p. 

 559). Seven species are described as new to science, namely, a mistletoe fruit 

 flj"^ {Ceratitis loranthi), bred from fruits of Loranthus pemluhis on Eucalyptus 

 sp. in West Australia ; Ducus kingii, bred from the fruits of the usher tree 

 (Calatropis prucera) in Khartum; D. pcpisalw from the Russell Group of Solo- 

 mon Islands; D. passiflorcc, bred from Granadilla fruits and mangoes. New 

 Zealand; D. tongcnsis, bred from mangoes imported into New Zealand; D. raro- 

 tongce, bred from mangoes in Rarotonga, Cook Islands; and D. kirki, bred from 

 peaches and from island fruit imi)orted into New Zealand. 



The French bean fly, Agromyza phaseoli, W. W. Fboggatt [Agr. Gaz. ~S. S. 

 Wales, 22 {1911), A'o. 2, pp. 151-1. j.'i, pi. 1). — An account is given of the life 

 history and i-emedial measures for this leaf-mining fly, which, though ap- 

 parently a native of Australia, was not recorded until l.S'.)S, in which year it 

 injured bean plants in the vicinity of Krina and Wamberal. It was the source 

 of serious injury in 1910, having spread over a much larger area than that 

 occupied in former years. 



The danger of transporting plague long distances through the interme- 

 diation of the flea, A. Rayuauu {I'rcssc MM. [Paris], 1911, No. 19, pp. 119, 180; 

 ahs. Jour. Amer. iled. Assoc, 56 {1911), No. 15, pt. 2, p. 1152).— The author 

 calls attention to the fact that since plague germs may remain virulent in the 

 rat flea {CeratophyUus fasciatus) during hibernation for a period of from 1 

 month to 45 days, the disease may be conveyed long distances in this manner. 

 He suggests that when the fleas leave the bodies of animals which have suc- 

 cumbed to plague they may seek refuge in bales of goods or cracks of boxes 

 and live there at a temperature which renders them torpid, practically hiber- 

 nating, while the plague germs maintain their vitality and virulence. 



Researches on the Ascaridae of Carnivora, A. Raillet and A. IIenby {Compt. 

 Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 10 {1911), No. 1, pp. 12-15). — The authors recognize 

 2 genera of ascarids that are parasitic in Carnivora, namely, Belascaris and 

 Toxascaris, both of which were described by Leiper in 1!K)7. Five species are 

 described as belonging to the former genus Belascaris and three to the latter. 

 B. mystax is parasitic in the cat and other Felidse and B. marginata and 

 T. limhala n. sp. in the dog. 



Technical papers on miscellaneous forest insects. III. — A revision of the 

 powder-post beetles of the family Lyctidse of the United States and Europe, 

 E. J. Kraus {U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Eni. Bui. 20, tech. scr., pt. 3, pp. 111-138).— 

 In this paper the author points out the more prominent specific characters and 

 gives the range of variation within the species. Following a brief intro- 

 duction he deals with the history of the family Lyctidfe and the three genera 

 recognized as belonging to it (Lyctus, Lyctoxylon, and Minthea), the prin- 

 cipal characters of the family, synopsis of the genera, revisional notes, and 

 synopsis of species of the genus Lyctus. Systematic notes are given on 14 

 species of Lyctus, of which one, L. politus, reared from licorice at Washington, 

 D. C, is described as new, also on one species of Lyctoxylon and 2 species of 

 Minthea. A bibliography of 61 titles is included. 



In an appendix (pp. 130-138) A. D. Hopkins presents notes on habits and 

 distribution and a list of the described species of this family, 39 species of 

 Lyctus, 2 of Lyctoxylon, and 2 of Minthea being listed. 



" So far as known, the species of the family Lyctidse live in dead and dry 

 wood of natural growth, in the seasoned sapwood of commercial products. 



