342 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXII. No. 559. 



expense for many years and has published a 

 number of papers relating to it. 



An invitation has been extended to medical 

 men and others the world over to cooperate. 

 This cooperation, while of the greatest impor- 

 tance, and indeed in default of any of the other 

 support so much needed — of prime importance 

 • — can only be disconnected and very incom- 

 plete. 



Residence in the tropics and in a leprosy 

 ^ center, together with the hearty cooperation 

 of Dr. Howard, of Washington, Dr. Carter, of 

 the University of Texas at Galveston, and 

 others has made possible a good beginning by 

 the writer. Indeed, an interesting result al- 

 ready to be noted is that one of the common 

 rat fleas of the southern gulf ports is the same 

 as the common species in Havana, and of the 

 group of tropical rat fleas closely related to 

 Pulex irritans, and thus very likely to bite 

 human beings when opportunity offers. An 

 utter lack of extensive collections from 

 human beings at any of these places makes 

 useful, well-founded deductions on this point 

 impossible. We hope to get these collections 

 in some way. The simplicity of the apparatus 

 needed (tweezers, small homoeopathic vials of 

 alcohol and several rat traps) should make ex- 

 tensive collections possible to all who are inter- 

 ested in the subject. Some have complained 

 of the quick movements of the living insects, 

 and the rapidity with which they desert dead 

 animals, as a serious hindrance to the col- 

 lecting. A little strong pyrethrum powder 

 will remedy these difiiculties. Scattered 

 through the fur of an animal, it immediately 

 disables the fleas, and their expiring efforts 

 serve to carry them out, to fall on white paper, 

 where they may be readily and rapidly gather- 

 ed. As large series as possible should be taken 

 and full data as to locality, host, etc., should be 

 inserted in every vial. A report will be re- 

 turned for all specimens sent either to the 

 writer or to Dr. Howard, Government Ento- 

 mologist in Washington, D. C., U. S. A., and 

 full published credit will later be given for 

 every sending. 



C. r. Baker. 



ESTACION AGRONOMICA, 



Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba. 



SPECIAL ARTICLES. 



note on the habits of an ophidiid 

 (cuskeel). 



In 1871 Professor A. E. Verrill {Am. Nat, 

 5, p. 399) published a note of half a dozen 

 lines on the Ophidium marginatum, remark- 

 ing that ' this species appears to be very rare 

 and its habits little known.' He " dug two 

 specimens out of the sand near low-water 

 mark, where they burrowed to the depth of a 

 foot or more. When placed upon moist sand, 

 they burrowed into it tail foremost with sur- 

 prising rapidity, disappearing in an instant." 

 These are the only data known to me respect- 

 ing the habits of any member of the ophidioid 

 family. I was, therefore, much interested to 

 receive confirmatory and additional informa- 

 tion about the same species from Dr. E. W. 

 Gudger, of Waynesville, N. C. 



It is quite possible, if not probable, that the 

 apparent rarity of the species results from 

 the uncommon manner of life rather than 

 from actual paucity in numbers. Persons 

 generally do not look for fishes in the bare 

 sand. 



It is to be hoped that one of the investiga- 

 tors at the Beaufort Laboratory will obtain 

 other specimens and study the habits and food 

 of the species. It is probable that the period 

 of activity is night. It would, therefore, be 

 desirable to examine the stomach-contents as 

 early in the morning as possible. 



Theo. Gill. 



A NOTE ON the HABITS OF EISSOLA MARGINATA. 



On July 13, 1904, while walking on a sand 

 spit, exposed at low water and lying northwest 

 of the island on which is situated the labora- 

 tory of the United States Bureaii of Eisheries 

 at Beaufort, N. C., I noticed, thrust out of the 

 wet sand, a conically pointed head which in- 

 stantly disappeared. Throwing myself down, 

 I immediately began with my bare hands to 

 dig the wet sand where I had seen the head. 

 The animal went down tail first, and so rapidly 

 that I began to despair of capturing it. Pres- 

 ently, however, when I had dug below water 

 level, this little fish was brought out in a great 

 double handful of sand. When taken into the 

 laboratory and put into an aquarium of run- 



