ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY — ENTOMOLOGY, 963 



The ticks infesting- domesticated animals in India, C. Warburton {Imp. 

 Dcitt. A(ir. IndUi Bill. 6. pp. 13, figs. 15). — Descriptive notes are given on tlie 

 ticks wliich are commonly found on cattle, horses, and dogs in India. The ma- 

 terial upon which these notes are based was collected from all parts of India 

 and is believed to be representative. The species to which attention is given 

 includes .Ic/zc/.s- pcrsiciis and others. 



Ticks as carriers of Texas fever (Bol. Agr. [Sao Paulo], 8. ser., 1907, No. 

 (S, pji. JSO-SS'i, fig. /). — Brief descriptive notes are given of Boopliilus aiiiiulattis, 

 B. australis, and Pirosoma bigeminum. Mention is also made of the beneficial 

 effects which have followed the use of arsenical and kerosene applications in 

 destroying ticks. 



Botflies of the horse, E. L. Vallejo (Com. Par. Agr. [Mexico], Circ. 65, pp. 

 10, pU. 2, figs. JO). — The life history of the botfly is described and an account 

 is given of its parasitism on the horse, where ordiuarilj' it does not cause seri- 

 ous injury. Various internal remedies have been tried, such as carbon bisul- 

 iJbid and sulphuric ether, but without satisfactory results. 



A new niyxomycete parasitic in insects, L. Leger {Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. 

 [Paris], I'lD (1901), Xo. 20, pp. 837, 838). — The author describes as a new spe- 

 cies and new genus under the name Sporomyxa scauri, a myxomycete which is 

 parasitic in various organs of insects particularly Scaurus tristis. Infected 

 organs are recognizable under low magnification by the presence of numerous 

 ovoid and transparent spores isolated or in groups in the tissues. The vege- 

 tative stages of the parasite are so transparent as to be almost invisible with- 

 out staining. The parasitic myxomycete is described and brief notes are given 

 OH its apparent systematic position. 



An absolutely sure method of preservation of natural scientific collec- 

 tions against insect enemies, G. W. Bock {Eut. Xews, 18 {1907), No. 10. pp. 

 -^3, Jflf'i). — According to the experience of the author insect collections may be 

 protected against insect pests by first fumigating the boxes with carbon bisul- 

 phid and then placing in the closed boxes a small piece of cotton satnrated 

 with coal-tar creosote. 



Insecticides and fungicides, F. T. Shutt {Canada Expt. Farms Rpts. 1906, 

 pp. lSl-18'i). — Chemical analyses were made of a number of new forms of kero- 

 sene emulsion containing caustic soda, copper sulphate, and other ingredients. 



During recent years the results obtained from the use of copper sulphate in 

 the control of wheat smut have not been satisfactory. The suspicion, therefore, 

 arose that the commercial form of this substance was not up to standard. 

 Analyses were made of a number of samples of copper sulphate none of which 

 appeared to reveal the in'esence of any adulteration. Copper sulphate as found 

 on the market is not always strictly pure but apparently does not contain any 

 deliberate addition. The wliite efflorescent sometimes found on crystals in 

 copper sulphate indicate the loss of the water of crystallization on exposure 

 to air. 



Report on further experiments on sulphur dioxid as applied in the 

 destruction of rats and in disinfection on shipboard, ,J. Wade {Ann. Rpt. 

 Local liovt. Bd. [Gt. Brit.], 35 {1905-6), pp. Ji76-5.'i2, figs. 11).— An extensive 

 series of experiments was carried out in testing the efficacy of sulphur dioxid 

 for destroying rats hnd insec-ts on shipboard, and also in determining its pos- 

 sible injurious effect upon foodstuffs and other materials. 



It was found that rats and most insects are destroyed within S to 12 hours in 

 an atmosphere containing 3 per cent of sulphur dioxid, and most pathogenic 

 bacteria are destroyed during the same treatment if freely exposed. Fabrics, 

 metals, and articles of furniture are not affected by fumigation unless sulphu- 



