210 



is exactly similar to that of Trypanosoma Icwisi in the rat-flea. The 

 final stages of the extra-corporeal cycle in the bug may also prove 

 similar to the above. A complete report of these observations is 

 under preparation. 



SiNTON (J. A). Infection with Nuttallia nincnsc among Hedgehogs 

 in the North- West Frontier Province, India.— /nr/. Med. Jl. Res., 

 Calcutta, ix, no. 2, October 1921, pp. 359-363, 2 plates. 



Hedgehogs {Erinaceus sp.) from the North-West Frontier have 

 been found to be infected with a piroplasm that is almost certainly 

 the same as that from Erinaceus europaeus in Russia, described by 

 Yakimoff as Piroplasma ninense. The various forms of it are described. 

 On account of the resemblance of this parasite to Nuttallia equi it 

 was thought possible that it might be identical, in which case the 

 hedgehog might act as a reservoir for infections of equine piroplas- 

 mosis, but Yakimoff's infection experiments with a foal, a dog, 

 rabbits, and various other animals gave negative results. 



Aw ATI (P. R.). Some Notes on Conorhinus ruhrofasciatus (De Geer). — 

 Ind. Jl.'Med. Res., Calcutta, ix. no. 2, October 1921, pp. 371-373. 



y When Triatonui {Conorhinus) rubrojasciata was suggested by 



Donovan as a possible carrier of kala-azar [R. A.E., B, i, 208], it was 

 pointed out that neither the adult bug nor any of its early stages 

 were found in houses. This species is, however, now recorded from 

 houses in various villages of the infected area in Assam, some 

 individuals containing ingested mammalian blood. None was found 

 in an area supposed to be free from kala-azar. 



Cragg (F. W.). The Geographical Distribution of the Indian Rat 

 Fleas as a Factor in the Epidemiology of Plague : Preliminary 

 Observations.— 7;/^;'. //. JSIed. Res., Calcutta, ix, no. 2, October 

 1921, pp. 374-398, T plate, 1 map, 8 tables, 3 charts. 



In an earlier paper the author discussed the distribution of the 

 Indian species of the genus Xenopsylla with reference to the immunity 

 of certain areas from plague epidemics [R.A.E., B, ix, 125] ; in the 

 present paper the subject is more fully dealt with. The reasonable 

 forecast, after the introduction of plague into Bombay in 1896, would 

 \ have been that the disease would spread rapidly until the whole country 



X was involved, since rats occur practically everywhere throughout the 

 country and all the rats harbour fleas. The failure of the disease to 

 appear in certain areas is, however, a striking fact. Although various 

 factors may be more or less favourable to the rat-flea in different 

 parts of the country, it can be decisively affirmed that there is 

 practically no part where the known conditions are definitely and 

 permanently against the establishment of an epidemic, and the escape 

 of large and populous areas for many years cannot be explained on 

 the facts at present known. The observations here recorded indicate 

 that the missing factor is the geographical distribution of the species 

 of Xenopsylla. Of these, there are three, namely : X. astia, X. brasi- 

 liensis, and X. cheopis. X. astia was recorded in 1913 as the common 

 rat-flea of Colombo, and as predominating in Madras ; the 

 author has worked on the theory that these species may be unequally 

 distributed and may not be equally efficient as vectors of plague, 



