92 



Hirst (S.). Species of Arachnida and Myriopoda Injurious to Man. — 

 Brit. Mus. {Nat. Hist.), London, Economic Ser. no. 6, 1917, 

 57 pp., 26 text-figs., 3 plates. [Keceived 16th May 1917.] 



This pamphlet gives an account of the structure, distribution, life- 

 history and habits of Arachnids and Myriopods which are in any way 

 injurious to man. The Myriopods are comparatively unimportant 

 in this respect ; the Arachnids dealt with include mites, scorpions, 

 spiders and ticks and harvest-bugs, many of which are concerned in the 

 dissemination of disease. 



BiSHOPP (F. C). Some Problems in Insect Control about Abattoirs 

 and Paclsing Houses. — Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, N.H., x, no. 2, 

 April 1917, pp. 269-277, 1 plate. 



The question of dealing with animal products under sanitary conditions 

 has given rise to so many problems in the United States that the meat 

 inspection service has requested the cooperation of the Bureau of 

 Entomology in the study of the relation of insects to the packing 

 industry, and particularly in connection with fly repression. It is 

 generally found that the packing houses under bad fly conditions 

 produce the major part of the flies and other insects which constitute 

 a danger, but even the best conducted factories are confronted with the 

 problem of destroying the still numerous flies from neighbouring 

 factories or surroimding breeding places. Most of the larger estab- 

 lishments are already under Government inspection, and very much has 

 already been done towards eliminating insanitary conditions in both 

 buildings and yards, but the condition of the smaller factories still 

 constitutes a serious menace to public wellfare. 



The insects that give trouble in packing houses include house-flies, 

 blow-flies, cockroaches and ham and hide beetles. The flies are by 

 far the most dangerous, the other insects usually giving most trouble 

 among the inedible parts of the materials dealt with and where fresh 

 blood is present, while the former not only occur under these con- 

 ditions, but are most numerous where the finished food products are 

 to be found. The most troublesome fly is Phormia regina, and this 

 is later supplemented by Lucilia caesar, L. sericata, Cynomyia cadaverina 

 and several species of Calliphora, including C. erythrocephala, C. vomi- 

 toria, C. coloradensis and C. iridescens. In the south, the screw-worm- 

 fly, Chrysomyia macellaria, is often abundant in the summer season. 

 The Anthomyid flies, Ophyra aenescens and 0. leucostoma, are often 

 numerous, but are rarely found in buildings. The skipper-fly, Piojohila 

 casei, causes considerable loss in small estabhshments where simple 

 precautions are not taken against it. This is also the case with the 

 ham and hide beetles [Dermestes], while cockroaches are chiefly 

 troublesome in old and badly built estabhshments. 



Almost all the known means of fly control have been resorted to 

 in order to meet the various conditions. The installation of modern 

 equipment with ample capacity for such processes as tankage drying, 

 hair and bone drying, and adequate storage room ; the concreting 

 of horse stalls and manure pens ; prompt removal of waste products 

 and bi-products, and similar measures have done much to aboUsh 

 breeding places. The most important improvement is the installation 

 of incinerators with sufficient capacity to handle all refuse, and these 



