164 



expense by the introduction of some of the smaller beetles, Rliynchota 

 and dragonflies known to be enemies of mosquito larvae. 



The fleas of the Islands have been little studied as yet, the species 

 present being unknown except for a few of the cosmopolitan ones. 



In the better residential sections of Honolulu, the house-fiy {Musca 

 domestica) is conspicuous by its absence, the reasons for this being 

 the fact that horses and cattle are but rarely stabled there, owing 

 to the motor having superseded them as a means of transport ; the 

 prompt removal of manure from the few existing stables by Chinese 

 gardeners, while the garbage is removed from houses by Japanese 

 pig-breeders with equal promptness. The beneficial effect of the 

 removal of manure "will be evident on comparison Avith the country 

 manure heaps formed of refuse brought from the town, these districts 

 literally swarming with flies. Further the climate and nature of 

 the feed given to horses results in the speedy fermentation of the 

 manure produced, with the development of such high temperatures 

 that the larvae of M. domestica cannot exist in it. Manure heaps 

 and isolated horse and cow droppings are further very generally 

 penetrated by the ant, Pheidole megacephah, which destroys a large 

 part of the eggs, larvae, pupae and newly-emerged adults. The 

 better residential districts largely escape the fly nuisance owing to 

 the fact that climatic conditions and abundant food and water serve 

 to keep the adults in the open, where they may be formd in numbers on 

 hibiscus hedges and on the foliage of ornamental shrubs and trees. 



Food contamination may be effected by several species of flesh 

 flies {Sarcophaga spp.), bluebottle flies such as Chrysomyia {Pycnosoma) 

 dux, Calliphora spp., and Lucilia sericata, and by Synthesiomyia 

 brasiliensis, all of which feed in the larval stage in carrion or dung 

 and as adults upon animal matter. Several of these have been 

 known as pests of cattle and sheej), producing serious myiases, and 

 they may be expected to give rise occasionally to nasal and traumatic 

 myiases in man. 



None of the ticks transmitting human diseases have as yet appeared 

 in the Islands. 



Adams (H. A.). The Blow-Fly Pest. Another Fly-Trap. — Queensland 

 Agric. Jh, Brisbane, ix, no. 4, April 1918, p. 136. 



A fly-trap, easily and cheaply made from a kerosene tin, to be 

 hung by wire from a tree or fence, is described. In the lower part 

 of the trap is placed the bait, consisting of decomposed sheep's 

 entrails, and in the upper part an arsenical solution, sweetened with 

 sugar. Two strips of flaimel about 2 inches wide are placed so that 

 they dip into the hquid at the top and rest on the bait at the bottom, 

 which is thus always kept moist by the poison. The bait must be 

 thoroughly decomposed before use, as the action of the arsenic tends 

 to prevent decomposition. 



Jones (L. G.). Sheep Maggot Fly Pest. — [Queensland Agric. Jl., 

 Brisbane, ix, no. 4, April 1918, p. 137. 



The author strongly advocates the practice of leaving the dags 

 on sheep and poisoning them by submergence in a very strong 

 arsenical solution, instead of removing them, as is the usual custom. 



