61 



the one originally proposed, would efEect control. The destruction 

 -of native rodents is an important secondary measure, and the success 

 ■of this work in 1914 makes the author think it important to continue 

 it on a larger scale in 1915. The cultivation of land is of the greatest 

 importance in securing a permanent tick-free area, and. the burning 

 of uncleared land is the popular method, but as this practice tends 

 to the neglect of other precautions, it is being combated by attempts 

 to show its futility except as a preliminary measure. Three dipping 

 vats have been installed and the " Laboratory Dip " recommended 

 by Watkins-Pitchford in the Union of South Africa is used. Working 

 horses, milk cows, and other animals are exempted from dipping 

 in cases where the owner prefers to pick by hand. This is more effective 

 than a general measure which could not be absolutely enforced, and it 

 ■enables the relative importance of different groups of animals to be 

 determined and control efforts can be concentrated accordingly. 



Fricks (L. D.). a review of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever eradicative 

 work conducted by the United States Public Health Service in the 

 Bitter Root Valley, Montana. — 1st Bienn. Rep., Montana State Bd. 

 Entom., 1913-14, Helena, December 1914, pp. 28-31. [Received 

 27th March 1915.] 



The information in this paper is covered by that given in a subsequent 

 paper by the same author which is abstracted below [p. 62]. 



Parker (R. R.). Summary of " Report to the Montana State Board 

 of Entomology concerning fly investigations conducted in the 

 Yellowstone Valley during the summer of 1914." — 1st Bienn. Rept. 

 Montana State Bd. Entom., 1913-14, Helena, December 1914, 

 pp. 35-50. [Received 27th March 1915.] 



This is a brief statement of breeding experiments in which a total 

 ■of 13,353 flies were bred, representing 11 families and more than 40 

 species. So far as the house-fly was concerned, nearly all records 

 were from horse manure. The total catch of flies during a period of 

 ■eight weeks was 96,114, representing some 25 species ; 88,245 were 

 house-flies. The other species present in great abundance were 

 Muscina stabulans, Fall., 3,473, Lucilia sericata, Meig., 1,456, and 

 Fannia spp., 2,294, including F. scalaris, F., and F. canicularis, L. 

 The families, Sarcophagidae, Ortalidae, Culicidae, and Sap- 

 itOMYZiDAE are also represented. In observing the flight of flies, the 

 individuals were marked by being allowed to feed on coloured syrup, 

 the coloured contents of the abdomen identifying them when captured. 

 Excluding Culicidae, at least 50 species of flies were found which bred 

 in or frequented human excrement. The house-fly probably constituted 

 90 per cent, of the flies captured on garbage ; of those captured in 

 the " privy trap experiment," 8*94 per cent. ; of those taken in the 

 open with human excrement as a bait, 21-81 per cent. Sarcophaga 

 {Ravinia) communis, Pkr., S. peniculata, Pkr., and S. haemorrhoidalis, 

 Meig., were bred very abundantly from human excrement and the 

 first two species also breed in horse, cow, and pig dung. Owing 

 to the great attractiveness of beer for various species of excreta- 

 frequenting flies, their presence in saloons may perhaps be of importance. 



