230 



Caffrey (D. J.). Notes on the Poisonous Urticating Spines of 

 Hemiletica oliviae Larvae. — Jl. Econ. Eniom., Concord, N.H., xi, 

 no. 4, August 1918, pp. 363-367. 



The urticating spines borne by the larvae of Hemileuca oliviae 

 (New Mexico range caterpillar) are first developed during the second 

 instar, but during the fourth and succeeding instars their presence 

 is so noticeable that it is impossible for a susceptible person to come 

 in contact with them without serious injury. The same is true of the 

 pupae and cocoons, the spines of the last-moulted larval skin being 

 incorporated during the process of pupation. The effect of the 

 poisonous agent contained in these spines appears to be cumulative, 

 second year workers on H. oliviae suffering far more severely than those 

 to whom the work is new. The same phenomenon has been found 

 to occur in the case of the brown-tail moth, Nygmia fhaeorrlioea 

 {Euproctis chrysorrhoea). The injury may be internal or external, 

 the latter varying in severity according to the part of the body 

 affected, and even leading to partial disability for short periods. 

 Internal injury, which is much more severe in nature, may result, 

 in advanced cases, in typical bronchial or asthmatic symptoms, or 

 other disorders of the respiratory tract. 



The ill-effects of these spines on the tender mouths of grazing cattle 

 are such as to cause these animals to avoid all grass in the vicinity 

 of the larvae of H. oliviae, this fact being an important item in the 

 total loss occasioned by the pest. 



The larvae of the closely allied New Mexican species, H. nevadensis, 

 Stretch, feeding on willow, and a species that is perhaps a variety 

 of H. maia, Busck, feeding on scrub-oak, have the same poisonous 

 properties as those of H. oliviae. 



KouBAUD (E.). Recherches sur la Transmission du Paludisme par les 

 Anopheles francais de Regions non palustres (Yonne et Region 

 parisienne). [Investigations into the Transmission of Malaria by 

 Anopheles in the non-malarial Regions of France (Yonne and the 

 Paris District).]. — -Ann. Inst. Pasteur, Paris, xxxii, no. 9, 

 September 1918, pp. 430-462, 2 figs. 



The occurrence of Anophelines throughout the whole of the Paris 

 district is a well-established fact ; the chance capture, on several 

 occasions, of individuals of Anopheles macidipennis in and about 

 Paris proves the latent existence of the vector of malaria in the very 

 heart of France. The occurrence of large numbers of Anophelines, 

 in the absence of any malarial epidemic, has been noticed in various 

 parts of Europe, but the real causes of the discrepancy between the 

 geographical distribution of hosts and parasites are not known. This 

 might be explained by the fact of non-introduction of the virus, but 

 it is difficult to sustain this theory in France where the germs of 

 infection are liable to be brought at any moment into contact with 

 existing Anophelines by malaria-carriers from the Colonies or elsewhere. 

 A more likely hypothesis advanced by several authors is that of the 

 existence of races of Anophelines resistant to malarial infection. 

 Hopes have even been raised of an artificial distribution of such 

 races in malarial regions as a prophylactic measure. In the present 



