85 



Howard (L. 0.). Report of the Entomologist for the year ended 30th 

 June 19H.— Ann. Rept. U.S. Dept. Agric, Washington, D.C., 

 1914. [Reprint, 16 pp., received 1st March 1915.] 



In this Report [see this Review, Ser. A, iii, p. 330] it is stated that 

 the investigation of insects affecting the health of man and animals 

 consisted of studies of malaria prophylaxis, control of house-flies in 

 manure, eradication of the Rocky Mountain spotted- fever tick, the 

 possible role of insects in the transmission of pellagra, tick life-histories, 

 and studies of insects affecting live-stock. In the coarse of important 

 work undertaken by the Bureau with the object of obtaining exact 

 information on the relation of malaria to agiiculture, on the bionomics 

 of the mosj[uitos involved in the transmission of the disease, and on 

 prophylactic measures from the standpoint of mosquito control, 

 it was found that low efficiency due to malaria caused a reduction of 

 about 15 per cent, of the acreage that could otherwise have been 

 cultivated. The present loss through malaria in the Southern States 

 therefore amounts to many millions of dollars. The investigation 

 revealed the fact that under boll-weevil conditions, the loss of time 

 and the decreased efficiency become very serious throughout the 

 season, for failure to keep up the cultivation of the crop or to plant 

 at the proper time, gives the w^eevil a decided advantage. The 

 investigation of flies, the larvae of which attack domestic animals, 

 was carried on. Another investigation Avas concerned with the spread 

 of anthrax by biting flies. The warble flies, Hypoderma hovis and 

 H. Uneata, and the cattle tick w^ere also the subject of study. Through 

 the kindness of Dr. Brumpt of Paris two shipments were received of 

 ticks infested by a parasite common in France. Dr. Brumpt has 

 pointed out the feasibility of utilising it against the spotted-fever 

 tick of the United States. 



CooLEY (R. A.). Twelfth Annual Report of the State Entomologist of 

 Montana.— Mto. Agric. Expt. Sta., Bozeman, Bull. no. 102, 

 December 1914, pp. 197-208. [Received 6th April 1915.] 



In the course of his report on insect pests in 1914 [see this Revieiv, 

 Ser. A, iii, pp. 334-335] the author says that several request-s were received 

 for information on the control of the bedbug, Cimex lecfularius, L., 

 one severe infestation of which was controlled by two fumigations 

 with hydrocyanic-acid gas. GastrophilushaemorrJioidalis, L. (lip bot-fly) 

 is apparently spreading westwards through the State. Simulium 

 vittatus, Zett., gorged with blood, was taken upon windows in the college 

 horse barn. Undetermined Simuliidae were taken upon horses in 

 the Gallatin Mountains and in the Yellowstone Valley where they were 

 reported to be so numerous that field-workers found it necessary to 

 wear veils. 



Lack of funds prevented any extensive operations against mosquitos, 

 but there are localities where mosquitos are so abundant that it is 

 out of the question to till the soil without having the face, neck, and 

 hands completely protected. In some places stock is injured and 

 farming operations seriously impeded. Malarial mosquitos were 

 found in two valleys, making a total of three localities in Montana 

 where these insects have been found. 



