43 



• In attempts to infect various animals (guinea-pigs, rabbits and a 

 monkey), it was noted that a fly heavily infected showed signs of 

 irritation whilst feeding, withdrawing and inserting its proboscis several 

 times. Finally it jerks out the proboscis, and rapidly milks it with 

 the fore-legs, flicking the minute masses of filariae some little distance 

 away, and distributing others by moving its position. In slight in- 

 fections it is difficult to detect the issue of the worms. When the 

 filariae have reached the skin of the mammalian host, they are just 

 visible. Their movements are extremely rapid, and in less than sixty 

 seconds they have completely disappeared beneath the epidermis. 



No flies survived more than 14 days after being experimentally 

 infected, but of three flies that had a naturally acquired infection 

 before the experimental one, none lived longer than one day after 

 filariae were observed to issue from its proboscis. The flies used in 

 the experiments were caught in the bush, and only allowed to feed 

 when their stomachs were empty. Of 225 flies examined as a control, 

 just over 3-5 per cent, were found naturally infected. Of 153 experi- 

 mentally infected flies examined, just over 3 per cent, acquired natural 

 infection first. In every case examined the experimental infection 

 was successful. 



Eggs and larvae of Chrysops were found in the mud of a swamp, 

 but no pupae were discovered. Chrysops silacea was the most abundant, 

 C. dimidiata was fairly common, and C. longicornis rare. The last- 

 named was not used in the experiments. The flies are most trouble- 

 some in the late morning and early evening. 



ScHuuRMANS Stekhoven Jr. (J. H.). Zui Biologie der Kratzmilben. 



[On the Biology of the Itch-mites.] — Verh. Kon. Akad. Wet. 

 Amsterdam (2)," xxi, no. 2, pp. 1-152, 20 plates. (Abstract in 

 Vakblad v. Biologen, Hclder, iii, no. 4, December 1921, pp. 57-59.) 



The biology of the itch-mite or mites occurring on Mus rattus, L., 

 is dealt with in this work, which is written in German. Very little 

 has been published on the subject since 1880. The information given 

 includes notes on the hatching of the larva and on the nymphs. Two 

 nymphal stages occur between the larva and the male adiflt, and three 

 between the larva and the female adult. The author agrees with 

 previous observers that the male pairs with the female when the latter 

 is in the last nymphal stage. 



Dr. Oudemans, the writer of the Dutch abstract, discusses at length 

 the synonymy of the mites infesting mice, rats and other small 

 .mammals. If the mite of Mus rattus is identical with that infesting 

 M. dcciimanus, the correct name for it is Notoedres miiris, Megn. 



Penna (J.) & Barbieri (A). El Paludismo y su Profilaxis en la 

 Argentina, [Malaria and its Prophylaxis in Argentina.] — Buenos 

 Aires, Ministerio del Interior, Dept. Nacional de Hygiene, 1916, 

 vii-|-390 pp., 2 plates, 53 figs, 5 maps, 4 charts. 



This book records the methodical campaign undertaken by the 

 Argentine Government against malaria. 



Of the Argentine Anophelines, Anopheles pseudopundipemiis, Theo., 

 is the most abundant in the malarial zone. It occurs throughout the 

 northern provinces and is followed in order of abundance by .1. 

 albitarsis, Arrib. A. annulipalpis, Arrib., probably inhabits only the 

 banks of the Rio de la Plata and the region south of Buenos x\ires. 

 A. {Cellia) albimanus, Wied., is infrequently met with in the Republic. 



