58 



the possibility of cockroaches gaining access to it. For the protection 

 of books, the covers may be painted with the following mixture : — 

 1 pint of methylated spirits, 1| oz. carbolic acid crystals, and ^ oz. 

 corrosive sublimate. They should be repainted every year. 



The earlier months of the year were devoted to the breeding and 

 collection of mosquitos ; one species, Haemagogus capricorni, Lutz, 

 previously unknown in British Guiana, was taken. 



Howard (L. 0.). Report of the Entomologist. — U.S. Dept. Agric., 

 Bur. of Entom., Washington, B.C., 24th August 1916, pp. 8-11. 

 [Received 27th February 1917.] 



A portion of this report deals wuth insects affecting the health of man 

 and domestic animals. Of the former, it is stated that the work on 

 malaria mosquitos has been continued, considerable attention being 

 paid to the conditions on plantations which give rise to infection. 

 A demonstration of the transmission of malaria by a species of Anopheles 

 hitherto considered a non-carrier has opened up new problems of control. 

 Co-operative work with the Bureau of Fisheries with regard to mosquito 

 control by top-minnows has been continued and extended. The control 

 work against the Rocky Mountain spotted-fever tick {Dermacentor 

 venustus) has been continued in Montana. The substitution of a 

 method of control by starvation in one of the control districts for the 

 previously recommended dipping and hand-picking of domestic animals 

 in the tick-infested zones has given encouraging results. A campaign 

 of destruction has been carried on against the Columbian ground 

 squirrel {Citellus columbianus) and other rodent hosts of the immature 

 ticks. The work on the house-fly has been continued along the same 

 lines as in previous years. In the latitude of Dallas, Texas, Musca 

 domestica passes the winter in the larval and pupal stages. In the 

 latitude of Washington this is also believed to be the case, but final 

 proof of this is lacking. Investigations of insects in relation to packing 

 establishments operated under the meat inspection service of the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry were continued throughout the year. 



Of the insects afiecting the health of animals the following have been 

 the objects of investigation : — The screw- worm fly {Chrysomyia 

 macellaria), horse-flies, especially in Nevada and California, the ox 

 warble (Hypoderma), the nose fly {Gastrophilus nasalis), and poultry 

 pests, especially the common red mite and various species of chicken 

 lice. It has been found that sodium fluoride is effective against these 

 lice. The chicken mite {Dermanyssus gallinae) depends exclusively 

 upon the fowl for its food and will not feed upon filth or excrement. 

 A few thorough applications of crude petroleum to the interior of 

 fowl-houses wall completely destroy the mites, and the painting of 

 roosts and nests with a proprietory compound containing carbolic acid 

 gave satisfactory results. 



Haber (V. R.). Cockroaches and their Control. — Ohio Agric. Expt. 

 Sta., Wooster, i, no. 8, August 1916, pp. 233-235, 1 fig. [Received 

 27th February 1917.] 



This is a popular account of cockroaches and their habits in dwellings. 

 Control measures recommended are spraying walls, floors and all 

 crevices with a pitch or tar solution at intervals of two days for a period 



