120 



An infusorian belonging to the genus T roglodylella , found in the 

 intestipe of chimpanzees, is described. Each individual examined was 

 found to harbour a distinct species. 



Matthiesen, Peets & Dahlgrun. Viehverluste in den Niederungen 

 der Leine und Aller durch die Stiche der Kriebelmticke, Simulium 



reptans, L. [Cattle Losses in the Lowlands of the Leine and Aller 

 through the Bites of Simulium reptans, L.] — Berliner Tierdrztl. 

 Wochenschrift, Berlin, xxxiii, no. 17, 26th April 1917, pp. 193-197. 

 [Received 19th June 1917.] 



In 1916 numerous deaths among cattle in the Leine lowlands [see 

 this Review, Ser. B, iv, p. 126] again occurred at the end of April and 

 early in May, and confirmation was obtained of previous observations 

 that the Simulium pupae attached to water-plants must be above the 

 water-level before the adults can emerge on the advent of warm, damp 

 weather. The flies that emerge later than the first swarms come from 

 pupae deeper under water. The egg, larval, pupal and adult stages 

 occur throughout the summer up to late in the autumn, there being 

 apparently several generations. The larvae from eggs laid in autumn 

 attain full growth only in the following spring, when they pupate and, 

 on warm, damp weather coinciding with a fall in the level of the water, 

 produce those adults the bites of which are so fatal to cattle. Large 

 numbers of newly- emerged adults were caged, so as to prevent the 

 females from sucking blood, and in no case was pairing or oviposition 

 noticed. The females were never seen to suck fruit juices or sugar 

 syrup and appeared to require blood, the absence of which apparently 

 prevented pairing and oviposition. Inspection of the Leine and Aller 

 rivers showed that large colonies of Simulium larvae occurred only 

 near pastures. Oviposition throughout the summer and autumn 

 therefore proves that cattle are bitten in those seasons and the fact 

 that no deaths occur then points to the gradual production in the 

 animals of an anti-toxin which neutralises the poison. Further 

 investigation on this point is required. A few isolated bites 

 are harmless, but general attacks are fatal. These have been facilitated 

 in recent years by the smaller areas of pasture and by their enclosure 

 with wire fencing, which prevents the animals from escaping into 

 bush-covered ground when attacked. As these conditions cannot be 

 altered, the cattle may either be rendered immune by being put out 

 to graze before the main swarms appear or they must be kept indoors 

 until these swarms have disappeared. The latter is the only practical 

 measure, the first being too risky to be recommended. The cost of 

 clearing away the water-plants would be excessive and would not be 

 efiicacious, since the survival of a very few females, each capable of 

 laying 10,000 eggs, would nullify the measure. 



La Gale du Cheval, Maladie contagieuse. [Horse Mange, an infectious 

 Disease.] — La Vie Agric. et Rur., Paris, vii, no. 30, 28th July 

 1917, p. 118. 



A decree of the 22nd June, appearing in the Journal qfficiel of the 

 11th July, adds mange in horses to the list of contagious animal 

 diseases which are dealt with under the law of 21st June 1898. 



