158 CURRENT NOTES. 



other words, G, morsitans^ etc., may be incapable o£ transmitting Trypano- 

 soma gamhiense on open, higher ground, but might become carriers in the 

 more favourable conditions obtaining in a hot damp valley. A somewhat 

 parallel phenomenon is known to occur in the case of certain disease-carrying 

 ticks and mosquitoes, and this hypothesis should certainly be made the subject 

 of careful experiment in suitable localities. At the same time, it would appear 

 that the facts, so far as we at present know them, are not inconsistent with 

 the supposition that most of these cases may be due to normal transmission 

 by Glossina fusca, simply owing to the presence of a reservoir and without 

 reference to any special environment. In this latter case, the disease might 

 appear over a comparatively wide area, but its incidence would probably be 

 light, owing to the relative scarcity of the fly. If, however. Dr. Bagshawe's 

 hypothesis be sound, the probability of a severe epidemic in the Luangwa and 

 Zambesi valleys would have to be reckoned with. 



Mr. S. A. Neave, the Committee's Entomologist in East Africa, has recently 

 visited the shores of the southern end of Lake Nyasa. He could find no 

 signs of Glossina palpalis, and he considers that the nature of the vegetation 

 and the general character of the insect fauna render it highly improbable that 

 the species will be found there. G. morsitans was found abundantly on the 

 upper Shire Hiver and on the western shores of Lake Nyasa, though in the 

 latter case it was more plentiful half a mile or so inland than on the actual 

 shore ; this species appeared to be absent from the eastern side of the Lake. 

 Mr. Neave has also traversed the southern portion of the Protectorate, and is 

 now proceeding by land along the whole western side of the Lake, leaving 

 Karonga about the middle of July and striking across German East Africa 

 to Mombasa. 



On the West Coast, Mr. J. J. Simpson has already visited all the medical 

 posts in the Western Province of Southern Nigeria and most of those in the 

 Central Province. He is now traversing the Eastern Province, and will then 

 proceed to Northern Nigeria. Encouraging reports have been received from 

 both Entomologists with regard to the cooperation of medical and other 

 officers in furthering the work of the Committee. 



Arrangements have been made by the Colonial Office for short courses in 

 Entomology to be given at the two Schools of Tropical Medicine, at Oxford, 

 Cambridge, Edinburgh and Dublin, for the benefit of Officers in the African 

 Colonies and Protectorates when home on leave. Advantage has already 

 been taken of this in a number of cases, for during the present summer the 

 following numbers have taken, or are taking, courses in Entomology : — 

 Gold Coast 7, Sierra Leone 2, N. Nigeria 1, S. Nigeria 8, East Africa Pro- 

 tectorate 3, Uganda 1, Nyasaland 2 ; making a total of 24. In addition, 

 22 other names have been sent in of Officers who desire to take the course in 

 the near future. 



