16 



seasonal influences and that has the least need of a resistant stage in 

 which to tide over the dry season. 



Macfie (J. W. S.)- The Identifications of Insects collected at Accra 

 during the Year 1916, and other Entomological Notes. —Rep. Accra 

 Laboratory for the Year 1916, London, 1917, pp. 67-75, 3 plates, 

 3 figs. [Received 13th November 1917.] 



To the list of mosquitos occurring at Accra, of which 41 species have 

 been recorded, 14 additional ones were added during 1916, the species 

 not previously collected being : Anopheles marshalli, A. mauritianus, 

 Aedomyia africana, Culex consimilis, C. fritaeniorhynchus, Ficalbia 

 mediolineata, Mimornyia hispida, M. plumosa, M. splendens, Mucidus 

 scatophagoides, Ochlerotatus apicoannulatus, 0. ochraceus, 0. wellmani 

 and Stegomyia simpsoni. 



The natural enemies of mosquito larvae appear to be innumerable, 

 the chief being tadpoles, Notonectids, beetles and dragon-fly larvae, and 

 they play no inconsiderable part in reducing the number of mosquitos 

 and thus indirectly limit the incidence of malaria and other diseases. 



The larvae of Stegomyia fasciata, were found to be frequently infected 

 with the gregarine, Layikesteria culicis, the presence of which, however, 

 had no ill effect on the development of the insect. 



Several specimens of Musca domestica (house-fly) collected from 

 butchers' stalls were dissected to determine the prevalence of infection 

 with Herpetomonas muscae domesticae, with the result that 42 "5 per 

 cent, were found to be heavily infected. This parasite is spread 

 from fly to fly by contamination, but similar parasites have been 

 experimentally transmitted to mammals by inoculation and feeding. 

 It has been stated that herpetomoniasis and leishmaniasis are really the 

 same, and although the latter does not appear to occur in West Africa, 

 there is the possibility of man becoming infected with the former by 

 eating food contaminated by the house-fly carriers. 



A mite, identified as Notoedres muris, Megnin, a species common in 

 England, where it merely produces warty excrescences on the ears of 

 the animals it attacks, has been found infecting experimental white 

 rats. It gives rise to a sort of eczema, which beginning on the tail, 

 feet and ears, rapidly spreads to all parts of the body, soon causing 

 death ; the greater pathogenicity of this parasite at Accra is probably 

 due to the difference in the climate. 



Macfie (J. W. S.). Fungal Infections of Mosquito Larvae. — Rept. 

 Accra Laboratory for the Year 1916, London, 1917, pp. 76-80, 

 1 plate, 3 figs. [Received 13th November 1917.] 



Larvae of Stegomyia fasciata collected in Accra in April were found 

 to be infected with a fungus forming brownish masses in the thorax or 

 abdomen. This has been identified as a species of Fusarium. 



Another fungus infection of Stegomyia fasciata larvae occurred in the 

 stock- jar, where a strain of this mosquito had been maintained for 

 some weeks. The larvae were covered with a waving mass of fungal 

 hyphae, which did not penetrate the body, but which had a harmful 

 effect, impeding movement and interfering with moulting. This 

 growth appeared to be due to two forms, one a species of Nocardia and 

 the other an undetermined fungus. 



