180 CURRENT NOTES. 



information regarding the distribution of this bed-bug both in the Lado and in 

 the Bahr-El-Grhazal. It is worthy of note that the first case of kala-azar found 

 in the Sudan by Neave was a boy who had recently come from Meshr-El-Rek, 

 in the Bahr-El-Ghazal Province." 



Although it is quite probable that C. rotundatus may have been introduced 

 into the Red Sea Province of the Sudan, from Arabia, yet there seems reason to 

 believe that this species is the common bed-bug of Tropical Africa. Examples 

 of it have recently been received by the Entomological Research Committee from 

 the following localities : — -Nyasaland : North Rukuru River {Dr. J. B. Davey), 

 Zomba {Dr. H. Hearsejj and A. M. D. Turnhull), Blantyre {Dr. J. E. S. Old) ; 

 N. E. Rhodesia : various localities (.S". A. Neave) ; Northern Nigeria : 

 Zungeru {J. J. Simpson) ; Southern Nigeria : Benin City (-Dr. 7?. W. Gray); 

 whereas no C. lectularius have been sent from these localities. 



A Locustid injurious to Man- 



With reference to this subject, Dr. Hugh S. Stannus writes from Zomba, 

 Nyasaland, as follows : — " In a recent number of the Bulletin Dr. C. A. Wiggins, 

 of Entebbe, Uganda, gives notes upon a Locustid, Enyaliopsis dnrandi, whose 

 bite, he says, ' gives rise to a very nasty eruption . . . the skin at the site 

 of the bite sloughs away,' &c. An editorial note states that immature specimens 

 of the allied E. petersi emits a clear yellow fluid from the sides of the body when 

 handled, and mentions that these insects have no poison glands. For some 

 years I have been cognisant of the fact that among the natives of Nyasaland an 

 allied if not the same species is held to cause skin lesions by the emission of a 

 fluid on the bare skin surface of the body. The Yao name for the insect 

 is ' Nantundira ' (from ' kutunda,' to make watei") ; the Anyanja call it 

 ' Nalibvibvi.' I have seen cases of ulcers on various parts of the body for which 

 the ' Nantundii-a ' was assigned as the cause. 



'' Curiosity prompted me to seek further, and having asked for a volunteer, I 

 procured a specimen of the Locustid in question, and tested the truth of the 

 native statement. The insect was put on to the arm of the native, and then 

 worried with a penholder. It promptly emitted a slightly yellowish clear fluid 

 from pores at the side of the body near the junction of the thorax and abdomen. 

 This secretion was allowed to remain on the arm. In a few hours a sensation oE 

 burning was produced, the skin showed signs of reaction, swelling and redness, 

 and twelve hours later the superficial layers appeared to be dissolved, so that the 

 pink skin beneath was visible, covered by a serous exudation. This superficial 

 destruction of tissue healed in a few days without trouble. The secretion was 

 acid to litmus. 



" I have little doubt that such a breach of surface may in many cases be the 

 starting point for extensive ulceration, if it becomes infected, as in a similar way 

 small abrasions in the native are often followed by ulceration, owing to lack of 

 proper treatment. I am inclined to think that Dr. Wiggins, in using the term 

 ' bite,' is repeating native evidence, and that the explanation of the production 

 of ulceration and sloughing is the same as I have mentioned as occurring in this 

 country." 



