16 



was exceedingly fortunate in maintaining the health of its men, seeing 

 that they were obliged to work precisely in the places most infested 

 by Glossina. The total number of flies caught by the brigade in the 

 ten months was 110,691. The total number of pigs killed was 235, 

 " lagaias " 251, stray dogs 272, to which must be added 300 killed in 

 the town area. The total area of lands cleaned up by the brigade, in- 

 cluding fellings, eradication of secondary scrub, cleansing of swamps 

 and streams, was approximately 65 square kilometres (2,600 acres). 

 The author then goes on to remark upon the insanitary condition of 

 the town of Sant' Antonio in Principe, the filthiness of which 

 he denounces in unsparing terms. 



Cowflies and Disease. — Jl. Board Agric. Brit. Guiana, vii, no, 2, 

 Oct. 1913, p. 75. 



A list of Tabanidae captured while actually attacking mules is 

 given in an editorial note, and includes T. itnpressus, Wied., T. semisor- 

 didus, Walk., T. trilineatus, Latr., T. caiennensis, F., T. desertus, 

 Walk., Chrysops tristis, F., and Chrysops costata, F. Among plan- 

 tation mules at Berbice there has recently been an outbreak of mal de 

 caderas, which is supposed to be transmitted by means of biting flies 

 from wild to domestic animals. 



Felt (E. P.). Phormta regina, Meig, (Queen Blow-Fly).— Twenty- 

 eighth Report of the State Entomologist (1912), Neiv York State 

 Museum, Albany, New York, Bull. 165, 15th July 1913, pp. 

 75-79. 



The study of this fly was undertaken in order to obtain data for 

 estimating the period a human body had lain exposed to the elements 

 in midsummer. This was rendered necessary in consequence of the 

 want of facts on the biology of this fly in existing literature. It was 

 supposed at first that the common blow-fly {Calliphora erythrocephala, 

 Mg.), was the more prevalent species at Nassau, the place where these 

 investigations were conducted, but the experiments resulted in rearing 

 only the above-named species, and a flesh-fly. Hough reports this 

 species as being very common everywhere in the United States, though 

 it appears to be rare in Europe. Aldrich hsts it from locahties as 

 widely separated as New Jersey, Montreal and New Mexico. It was- 

 reared by Mr. J. H. Paine from city garbage, in Boston, Mass., in 

 larger numbers than either the common house-fly or the blue-bottle 

 {Lucilia sericata), though it should be noted that Phormia was present 

 in fewer lots, and that by far the largest number came from one lot, 

 concerning which there was no special record, except that no house- 

 flies were obtained from it, and the material was collected in August. 



The duration of the various stages was found to be approximately 

 as follows : — Eggs, 12-24 hours, depending on temperature ; the 

 first larval stage lasted about three days ; the second stage two or 

 three days ; third stage, that of active feeding, about three days, 

 although pupation did not occur till three days later. The egg, larva 

 and pupa are described in detail, and a bibliography from 1826 is 

 given. 



