MISCELLANEA. 
GENERAL. 
MALARIA MORTALITY IN THE FRINGE AREA OF CALCUTTA.— 
On p. 98 of Mr. C. A. Paiva’s ‘‘ Materials for a Survey of the 
Mosquitoes of Calcutta” (Rec. Ind. Mus , vii, 1912, pp. 93—98) 
it is stated that, as far as Calcutta is concerned, malaria is most 
common in the fringe area. Dr. Pearse, Calcutta Health Officer, 
writes informing us that, so far as can be judged from the death- 
rate per I,000 from the disease, this had just ceased to be the 
case when the survey was instituted. He attributes the improve- 
ment largely to the drainage scheme commenced in 1909, ana 
observes that ‘‘since 1908 the fringe area has compared very 
favourably with the eastern and southern wards of the city.” 
Mr. Paiva tells me, moreover, that his record of adult malaria- 
carrying mosquitoes from this area is based on specimens collected 
prior to the initiation of the mosquito survey. 
F. H. GRAVELY. 
INSECTS: 
ON THE LARVAL HAsits OF Toxorhynchites immisericors.—In 
Mr. Brunetti’s supplementary Catalogue of Oriental Culicidee (Rec. 
Ind. Mus., vol. iv, No. x) I find a statement attributed to me 
with which I am not entirely in agreement. 
On page 436, under Toxorhynchites immuisericors, I am 
represented as asserting that ‘‘ the larve prey first upon those of 
their own race before proceeding to devour those of other species,” 
and again ‘“‘ Mr. EK. E. Green thought it eats its own species first.’’ 
I was puzzled, for some time, to understand how or where I 
could have said anything to give rise to this impression, until—on 
looking through my early paper on the life history of this insect 
(‘Spolia Zeylanica,’ vol. ii, pp. 159 to 164)—I found the follow- 
ing sentences :—‘‘ Confirmation of the supposed carnivorous habit 
was soon forthcoming: firstly, by the rapid disappearance of most 
of the young larve while the remainder waxed fat ; and secondly, 
by the detection of one larva in the act of devouring a comrade 
(He-saiie size as itself. 5. ‘“Though well supplied 
