174 



Among mosquitos, the larvae of Culicelsa consimilis were par- 

 ticularly abundant in hoof -prints, a considerable number of A7iop}ieles 

 (Nyssorhynchus) annulipes being associated with them. The water was 

 covered with an iridescent film and frequently contained masses 

 of algal growth. The larvae of C. consimilis were most abundant 

 from 27th March to 5th May, and disappeared by about 10th June. 

 The number of larvae of A. annulijpes began to diminish from 19th 

 April to about 5th May. All efforts to induce females of A. annulipes 

 to feed in captivity failed. A single individual of Culex bitaeniorhyn- 

 clms was taken in the same hoof-prints. The importance of continuing 

 and extending the mosquito survey of North Queensland is emphasised 

 in view of the discovery of a new species of Stegomyia. Ochleroiatus 

 {Scutomyia) iiotoscriptus is widely distributed, and was generally 

 associated with Stegomyia. 



Johnston (T. H.). The Chalcid Parasites of Muscid Flies in Australia. 



— Science & Industry, Melbourne, ii, no. 5, May 1920, pp. 308-312. 



This paper is an abstract of a more detailed work by the author and 

 Miss Bancroft pubhshed by the Royal Society of Queensland, 1920. 

 The work on parasites recorded as being already present on the continent 

 is briefly reviewed, and the advisability of introducing certain beneficial 

 Hymenoptera into Australia is discussed. 



The species already occurring in Eastern Australia include the 

 Pteromalids, Spalangia muscidarum, Nasonia brevicornis and Pcichy- 

 crepoideus dubius, and the Chalcids, Chalcis callipihorae and Dirhinus 

 sarcopliagae. Various stages of Spalangia muscidarum, Richardson, 

 and its method of parasitising certain species of bush flies are 

 described. 



Parasites that have been suggested for introduction into Australia 

 include the Braconids, Alysia manducator, Panz., and ApJiaereta 

 cephalotes, Hal., and a Chalcid, Melittobia acasta, Wlk., but as the 

 last-named is also a hyperparasite of many useful insects it would 

 probably not be wise to introduce it. The most valuable of these 

 three is apparently A. manducator. 



Johnston (T. H.) & Bancroft (M. J.). The Cattle Worm-Nodule 

 Parasite. — Science & Industry, Melbourne, ii, no. 5, May 1920, 

 pp. 315-316. 



This paper is an abstract of a fuller work by the same authors entitled 

 ' ' Experiments with certain Diptera as possible Transmitters of bovine 

 Onchocerciasis " published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society 

 of Queensland 1920. Attention is drawn to the occurrence of a 

 second species of Onchocerca in Australia, 0. bovis. It is already known 

 from France and North and South America. 



No definite transmitter of bovine onchocerciasis has yet been found. 

 The flies experimented with gave mostly negative results, the species 

 used including Tabanus circumdatus, T. australicus, T. mastersi, 

 T. dubiosus ; Musca australis, Mcq. {fergusoni, Jnstn. & Banc), 

 M. vetustissima, Wlk., M. terraereginae, Jnstn. & Banc, and 

 Fannia sp. 



