28 



occurring regularly in the season October to March. The virus has 

 never been found in the animal in natural conditions, the disease 

 appearing only after at least 17 days' captivity, though there is no 

 proof that it is contracted at the Institute at Tunis. The natural 

 ectoparasites of the gundi are the ticks, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Latr., 

 abundant inthenymphal stage, and Hyalotnma sp., occasionally found 

 in the nymphal stage ; a mite, Tromhidium sp., abundant in the larval 

 stage ; a flea, Coenopsylla mira, Eothsch., peculiar to the gundi and 

 rarely found. Two biting flies, the Chironomid, Thersestes {Myctero- 

 iypus) laurae, Weiss, and the Simuliid, Simulium lineatum, and 

 probably other nocturnal flies that bite man and other mammals in 

 the neighbourhood of water also attack the gundi. Of these parasites, 

 only Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Tromhidium sp. seem possible 

 carriers of toxoplasmosis in nature, though neither these nor the other 

 parasites mentioned breed on the gundi in captivity. As possible 

 vectors in the laboratory, R. sanguineus, of canine origin, Dermanys- 

 sus sp. from birds, Ctenocephalus canis (serraticeps) (dog-flea) and 

 Ciniex lectularius (bed-bug) should be considered. Two dogs, living in 

 a kennel adjoining the gundi cage, apparently contracted toxoplasmosis, 

 one in 1910 and one in 1917. The gundi is apparently the most 

 susceptible animal to its own virus, intraperitoneal inoculation, which 

 alone has been tried, proving fatal. After the gundi, the mouse is the 

 most susceptible species, many other small rodents falling into this 

 category. The white rat is resistant ; rabbits and dogs can be infected 

 only by intravenous inoculation ; the cat is more susceptible than 

 the dog ; the receptivity of the pigeon is inconstant. 

 A bibhography of 48 works is given. 



Weiss (A.). Contribution k I'Etude des Aphaniptftres : Une Ctenopsylle 

 nouvelle, Ctenopsylla copulabilis, sp. n. [Contribution to the 

 Study of Aphaniptera: a new CtenopsyUid, Ctenopsylla copula- 

 bilis, sp. n.].—Arch. Inst. Pasteur, Tunis, z, nos. 1 & 2, October 

 1917, pp. 77-81, 1 plate. 



This paper describes Ctenopsylla copulabilis, sp. n., found in Tunis as 

 a parasite of the Mustelid, Zorilla lybica, and of the rodent, Elyomys 

 munhianus tunitae. The author disagrees with an earlier writer who 

 records Echidnophaga {Sarcopsylla) gallinacea as an occasional parasite 

 only of Erinaceus, having found this species as an habitual parasite 

 of the hedgehog during two years' investigations in Tunisia. 



Sanidad del Campo. [Rural Sanitation.] — Bol. Agric. Tecnica y Econo- 

 mica, Madrid, ix, no. 103, July 1917, pp. 612-616. 



Under a decree of 8th August 1916, the Rural Sanitation Inspection 

 service has been thoroughly re-organised, and while it is as yet too 

 early to appreciate the results of the new measures, it is hoped that in 

 time these services will become as indispensable and beneficial as other 

 technical branches of the Ministry. In particular there are many 

 reforms in which the sanitary authorities must combine with the 

 engineers in order to carry out their work, such as the clearing of 

 malarial areas and the cultivation of rice and medicinal plants on 

 modern lines. 



