146 



parasite ; the presence of the parasite resembhng Herpetomonas in 

 the gecko may only be due to that animal eating the flies. The eificient 

 control of these pests on a large scale in Mesopotamia is impossible ; 

 the individual may protect himself from them to a certain extent by 

 the use of such repellents as kerosene oil, vermijelli, eucalyptus oil, 

 anise oil, etc. Spraying cracks and crevices with kerosene emulsion 

 was tried over a small area in a camp, and certainly reduced the number 

 of PJiIehotomits. 



Anopheles pnlchernmtis, Theo., is the commonest species of Anophe- 

 hne in Mesopotamia, abounding in all the marshy areas, particularly 

 along the Euphrates. It was always found to accompany the swarms 

 of midges referred to above, and at once entered the tents, biting in 

 the dayhght. It was found breeding on the marsh, in channels, water- 

 cuts and ponds. A. stephensi, List., is the most important species, 

 as it is the natural malaria carrier. It is somewhat localised, being 

 commonest in and around Basra, where it breeds in the channels and 

 water-cuts among the date-palms. Its exact distribution requires 

 to be worked out. A . hyrcanus, Pall, {sinensis, Wied.) is not frequently 

 found ; the author took a few individuals in the marshy areas along 

 the Euphrates. A. lukisii, Christ., and A. maculipennis, Meig., have 

 also been recorded from Mesopotamia, and Stegomyia fasciata, F. 

 {Aedcs calopus) was taken in a few locahties. 



Arthropods, other than Diptera, that were collected and observed 

 and that may be of some economic importance, include the Pulicids, 

 Pidex initans, L., and Ctenocephahis canis, Bch. The former abounds 

 in the early spring about the Arab huts and villages. A simple method 

 employed for clearing badly infested premises was to wrap sheets of 

 sticky paper used for catching flies round the bare legs of people 

 walking about the infested houses or areas. The papers were soon 

 covered with fleas, and after renewing them a few times the premises 

 were clean. C. canis is frequently found on the dog or cat, but does not 

 apparently become a pest. No case of canine kala-azar was seen or 

 heard of in Mesopotamia. Cimex hemiptera does not occur in ]\Iesopo- 

 tamia, except in Basra and Baghdad, where it has been introduced 

 by Indians. In the purely Arab towns and villages it is unknown. 

 The cases of kala-azar recorded among the inhabitants of lower Meso- 

 potamia were almost undoubtedly contracted in India. Pediculus 

 hiimanns and P. capitis are both common pests. 



The ticks coUected, which probably do not represent anything like 

 the true tick fauna of the country, include the Argasid, At gas vesper- 

 tilionis, Latr., found on tents, furniture and clothes, having probably 

 left its host (a species of pipistreUe) when resting on the tents at night ; 

 and the Ixodids, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Latr., on pariah dogs ; 

 Boophilus annulatus. Say, on cattle and buffaloes ; Hyalomma 

 aegvptium, L., chiefly on dromedaries; and Haemaphysalis bispinosa, 

 Neum., and H. flava, Neum., a few individuals being collected off 

 calves and dogs, respectively. 



It is remarked in conclusion that Phlebotomus spp., gadflies and 

 houseflies require further study in Mesopotamia. 



Senior-White (R . A.) . A Survey of the Culicidae of a Rubber Estate.— 



Ind. Jl. Med. Res., Calcutta, viii, no. 2, October 1920, pp. 304- 

 325, 3 plates, 2 figs. [Received 6th July 1921.] 



The situation and topography of a rubber estate in Ceylon, where 

 observations were made on the Cuhcid fauna, is described, and all 



