180 G. E. BODKIN AND h. D. CLEARE, JNR. 



During past years entomology, economic or otherwise, has received but slight 

 attention from residents in British Guiana. A number of scattered references to 

 the subject appear in the leading entomological publications of several countries, 

 but in the main these are the results of visits or expeditions to the Colony of profes- 

 sional collectors, and only occasionally the work of local amateurs. 



With a very few exceptions all the species and observations recorded in this article 

 are the outcome of our own work during the last two-and-a-half years, which has 

 been carried out as opportunities occurred. No paid local collectors have been 

 employed, as we have found that as soon as the financial element is introduced 

 they rapidly become untrustworthy and little or no faith can be placed in their 

 observations. 



We are indebted to Mr. A. A. Abraham, Agricultural Instructor in charge of the 

 Government Experiment Station in the North West District, who has on several 

 occasions sent small collections of Tabanidae and Mallophaga from this part of the 

 Colony together with careful observations regarding their habits. Also to Mr. S. H. 

 Bayley, the Superintendent of the Onderneeming Industrial School, for several species 

 of parasitic worms from the livestock kept on the farm. 



Mr. M. A. de Freitas, of the British Guiana Museum, has kindly assisted in procuring 

 several species of lice from birds collected by himself for the preservation of their 

 skins in the Museum collection. Material has been obtained from all the important 

 agricultural areas and from some of the more remote inland districts. 



Identifications are in every way reliable for they have been made through the 

 co-operation of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology by speciahsts either in the British 

 Museum or elsewhere. 



Methods of Collecting. 



The collecting of parasites is not always an easy matter. Opportunities for 

 collecting have a habit of occurring at most inconvenient times, which necessitates 

 the constant carrying of a suitable equipment. Fortunately this need not be cumber- 

 some and the follo\ving short notes on methods of collecting and the equipment used, 

 which we have found to meet all requirements in actual practice, may prove of interest 

 to other entomologists engaged in similar work in the tropics. 



For capturing various species of hce a pair of forceps about 10 cms. in length with: 

 fine rounded points having a perfectly smooth gripping surface -will be found useful. 

 The part which in use is held between the fingers should have a milled surface so as 

 to afford a firm hold. 



A flat tin box of a convenient pocket size with partitions to hold about a dozen 

 medium-sized tubes containing alcohol and stoppered with well-fitting corks is also 

 necessary. Paper and pencil should always be carried, as it is most important that 

 data concerning the host, date, locahty, and other particulars of interest should be, 

 accurately recorded at the time of actual collection. The piece of paper containing 

 these notes should be enclosed in the tube along with the specimens. 



For capturing Tabanidae and other bloodsucking Diptera a net is of course 

 necessary, but an individual possessed of a quick eye and a steady hand can 

 accomplish much without it. 



