DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. 83 



IV. Pisces. 



All work connected with the conservation and arrangement o£ 

 the collection of Fishes may be regarded as of potential economic 

 importance. 



Several investigators engaged in work on economic problems 

 have made use of the collection and have received assistance in their 

 work ; among these may be mentioned Mr. G. W. Paget, of the 

 Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, working on Herrings ; Dr. 

 H. M. Kyle, working on Flat fishes ; and Dr. Mottram and Dr. 

 Hammond-Smith, investigating the life-histories of Salmon and Trout. 



A Report has been published on the Fishes trawled off Lagos by 

 the Western Fisheries, Ltd., whose interest in the fishes of this 

 region was commercial. 



Among the enquiries answered and specimens determined may 

 be mentioned : 



Strips of skins of various sharks, used for covering sword- 

 handles, were identified and their probable place of origin indicated. 



Tins of Californian Sardines were examined and the specific 

 name of the fishes contained therein was determined. 



An enquiry from the Metropolitan Asylums Board as to the 

 specific name, food-value, &c., of fishes supplied to them under a 

 contract was answered. 



An enquiry from the Colonial Office as to poisonous fishes of the 

 West Indies was made the subject of a report. 



V. MOLLUSCA. 



Information has been given to the Military Medical Commission 

 working upon the transmission of BiUiarzia in Egypt. 



Sundry fresh-water Lamellibranchia and Gastropoda suspected 

 of being the intermediate hosts of Trematodes have been identified 

 for the Wellcome Bureau, Khartoum. A Succinea suspected of 

 causing " itch " in bathing tanks (Tehran) and a Corhicula infesting 

 water-supply (Egypt) have been reported upon, and advice and 

 information concerning the identity, habits and reproduction of 

 wood-boring Lamellibranchia (Teredo and Xylotrya) have been 

 given. 



VI. Arachnida. 



The following injurious Arachnida were examined and reported 

 upon. 



1. A Mite (Leiognatlius mo7'sitans) parasitic on the domestic 

 Fowl. 



2. A Mite, the " Harvest Bug " (larval form of MicrotromhkUum 

 imsillum), attacking human beings at Ventnor. 



3. The Tsutsugamushi (Mite) — Microtromhidium akamushi — 

 carrier of Kedani or River Fever in Japan. 



4. Information given to the Military Authorities on the life- 

 history of the Itch Mite (Sarcoptes scabiei). 



