.82 



Brevirhynchus ■ The genus now comprises the ten following species : 

 annulipalpis, Theo., flava, Leic, dolichocephala, Leic, magna, Theo., 

 annulitursis, Leic, cingulata, Leic, lo7igipalpis, Leic, pendula, digitafa, 

 and pectinata, the last three being new species. 



DoANE (R. W.). Disease-bearing Insects in Samoa. — Bull. Entom. 

 Research, London, iv, pt. 4, Feb. 1914, pp. 265-269, 3 pi. 



The author gives an account of the disease-bearing insects observed 

 by him during a visit to the island of Upolu, German Samoa, in the 

 summer of 1913. 



Among the most common of these insects was the mosquito 

 Stegomyia. fasciata, which pervades every dwelling, but disappears at 

 sunset. No precautions are taken against it by the natives ; the 

 author found that the best way to rid a room temporarily of the 

 mosquitos was to capture them with an insect net. Beyond the general 

 annoyance they cause, no special harm is attributed to this insect in 

 Samoa ; yellow fever is unknown there at present, but it is not 

 impossible that it may at any time be introduced, especially since the 

 Panama Canal has opened up a direct communication with the regions 

 where it is endemic ; if it were once introduced, the numbers of 

 S. fasciata present would render its spread very easy, and control 

 measures w^ould have to be adopted. When possible, tanks, vessels 

 containing water, etc. in which the insect might breed were covered, 

 but the author found larvae and pupae in numerous places which 

 retained small quantities of water, and which could not be guarded, 

 such for example as a sagging eave's trough, and the angles between 

 the branches of trees. 



Cidex fatigans appears at sunset, and mosquito nets are necessary 

 at all times of the year. Physicians believe that more than 50 per 

 cent, of the Samoans are infected with Filaria bancroftii by means of 

 this mosquito, many becoming typical cases of elephantiasis. White 

 men become infected with these filaria as readily as natives and usually 

 exhibit the symptoms of what is known as " moo-moo," which is the 

 first stage of the disease, but this generally subsides after a few days. 

 Besides carrying filaria, Cnlex fatigans transmits the organism that 

 produces dengue fever, a disease very prevalent among the Samoans 

 and frequently among white men also. (J. fatigans is usually found 

 breeding with S. fasciata near dwellings, but it may be found much 

 further away in the field, or bush ; the author has found its eggs and 

 larvae in old troughs, stumps of trees, hollow places in logs, etc., more 

 than half a mile from the nearest dwelling. 



Stegomyia pseadoscatelhris is very common about the house, biting 

 freely during the day, and continuing its feeding later than S. fasciata. 

 It breeds in standing water and is the most annoying pest in the field. 

 It is not definitely known whether it transmits any disease, but it is 

 under suspicion of carrying the filaria of elephantiasis and the 

 organism causing dengue also. 



The mosquito Finlaya kochi was found in smaller numbers ; many 

 specimens were engorged Avith blood, and the author is inclined to 

 attribute to this species certain specially irritating mosquito bites 

 from which he suffered. It was found breeding in water collected at 

 the base of tamu leaves. 



