69 



The effects of infestation ))>' HyJemyia nidicola are very different, 

 and four nests contained only the bones and feathers of nine nearly 

 full-fledged nestlings. From these four nests 283 pupae were taken. 

 None of the nests infested by this species contained any living nestlings 

 when discovered, but judging by the small number of dead birds in 

 most of the nests, it seems possible that some oft hem may have survived. 

 The larva of H. nidicola is much smaller than that of P. azurea, and 

 is apparently not a blood-sucker. It is- possible that the adults of 

 H. nidicola were attracted by odour to nests where the young birds 

 were alreadv dead and laid their eggs or larvae on the decomposing 

 bodies. Another explanation may be that they were deposited while 

 the nestlings were still alive, and caused their death by penetrating 

 into their bodies. In view of the fact that certain species of Hylemyia 

 and Mydaea. are known to attack nestling birds in Central and South 

 America, the second hypothesis is not an improbable one. If it proves 

 to be correct, it will be necessary to take measures against it in 

 order to avoid serious losses among the wild bird fauna. 



From further observations of remarkable numbers of a species of 

 bug, probably Cimex {Oecacus) hinmdinis, Jen., nearly related to the 

 common bed-bug, C. lectularius, and of fleas infesting bird's nests, it is 

 evident that these offer a fruitful field of investigation for the parasi- 

 tologist. 



Buxton (P. A.). The Importance of the House-Fly as a Carrier of 



E. histolytica.^Brit. Med. JL, London, no. 3083, 31st January 

 1920, pp. 142-14-1. 



Recent observations show that in Lower Mesopotamia the house-fly 

 is a major factor in the carriage of numerous intestinal disorders ; 

 over 60 per cent, of the flies caught carried human faeces, over 4 per cent, 

 of them actual human entozoa, and probably at least 0*5 per cent, the 

 cysts of Entamoeba hisfohftica. 



Nicholson (F. D.). Tick Fever in Palestine.— 5;//. Med. Jl., 

 London, no. 3077, 20th December 1919, p. 811. 



Eelapsing fever in Palestine is stated to be transmitted by ticks, 

 probably Argas persicus. The observations in question were made 

 during the 1917 campaign. The parasite and the course of the disease 

 are described. 



Ticks and Relapsing Fever. — Brit. Med. Jl, London, no. 3082, 

 24th January 1920, p. 132 ; no. 3084, 7th February 1920, p. 200 ; 

 no. 3085, 14th Feburarv 1920, p. 235 ; no. 3086, 21st February 

 1920, p. 273 ; no. 3087, 28th February 1920, p. 310. 



As a result of the preceding paper, a discussion has arisen in the 

 course of which Dr. J. L. Dunlop records Argas j^ersicus as the trans- 

 mitter of relapsing fever in Persia during the summer of 1918, when the 

 infection apparently varied with the number of bites. 



Dr. J. W. Mackenzie records observations that confirm those made 

 by Dr. Nicholson. He considers that the louse-borne and tick-borne 

 diseases are clinically of two different types. 



