85 



clpitation of organic food material, it was found that death among the 

 larvae occurred at a rate proportional to the strength of the solutions ; 

 whether death was due to starvation or to some other cause is 

 uncertain ; solutions of alum, which precipitates the impurities in water 

 more markedly than salt, had no peculiar action on the larvae. 



In Lagos, the larvae of Stegomyia fasciata are found most abundantlv 

 in water contained in domestic utensils. It would be of great advantage 

 if common salt could be used as a larvicide in these cases, for, not only 

 would the water not be rendered unfit for use in cooking, as it is by the 

 application of kerosene, but also evaporation would tend to increase 

 the strength of the solution and repeated applications would be 

 unnecessary. It would also be possible to keep stores of water in tlie 

 compounds without danger. The strength of the solution in the 

 vessels would have to be at least 2 per cent, in order to ensure the 

 destruction of the larvae. 



Some experiments were also made to see whether larvae and pu]iae 

 could mature in small temporary pools, subjected to intermittent 

 desiccation. Such pools occur under the taps of tanks, etc., the pool 

 being renewed once or twice in the day, evaporating between those 

 times, but leaving the soil moist. It was found that pupae could 

 complete their development in such circumstances, and that if the 

 pools were renewed fairly frequently, immature larvae could also 

 develop, so that it would be a wise precaution to treat such pools with 

 larvicides. 



Rothschild (N. C). The Tropical Bed-bug, Clinocoris hemiptera, Fabr. 

 Bull. Entom. Research, London, iv, pt. 4, Feb. 1914, p. 345. 



From an examination of the type specimen of Clinocoris hemiptera, 

 Fabr. in the Copenhagen Museum, the author confirms Dr. Horvath's 

 views that the bed-bug described under the names hemiptera, rotiindala, 

 niacrocephala and horrifer are all the same species, and should be called 

 hemiptera, this being the oldest name. Clinocoris foedus was also 

 examined and was found to differ slightly from hemiptera ; whether 

 the difference is specific or due to the shrinkage of the specimen caimot 

 be decided until more material is available, but it is probable that 

 foedus is a distinct species. 



Fkoggatt (W. W.). The Sheep-Maggot Fly and its Parasite. — Agric. 

 Gaz. N.S.W., Sijdneij, xxv, pt. 2, Feb. 1914, pp. 107-111. 1 pi. 



The MetaUic Blue Blow-fly {Calliphora rnfifacies) is the species most 

 harmful to sheep in Austraha at the present time. It is an example 

 of the adoption of injurious habits by a previously harmless insect, 

 for until the past few years' it was not recognised as a pest, two other 

 species, C. ocean iae and C. villosa, being much more harmful ; these 

 are now becoming comparatively unimportant pests. A description of 

 C. rufifacies and its larval stages is given. The larvae are the so-called 

 " hairy maggots " ; they hatch from eggs deposited on soiled wool ; 

 the larva develops on the wool and pupates there, the pupae usually 

 dropping to the ground. Another species of blow-fly, only recently 

 recorded as infesting sheep in Australia, is the Green-bottle Fly, the 

 well-known English sheep-maggot fly {Lucilia sericata) ; it is common 

 as a blow-fly of meat, etc. in the neighbourhood of Sydney, but it 



