DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY. 141 



ToniFERA— continued. 



Thirty specimens from Porto Santo Island, including- 

 numerous examples of the remarkable siliceo-calcareous Sponge 

 Merlia normani ; presented by R. Kirkpatrick, Esq. 



Twelve specimens from the Atlantic, Red Sea and Indian 

 Oceans ; presented by the Eastern and Associated Telegraph 

 Companies. 



Fifty-five specimens from Christmas Island, collected by 

 Dr. C. W. Andrews, f.r.s,, including examples of Astrosclera. 

 willeyana Lister, and specimens of a Pharetron Sponge repre- 

 senting a new sub-family; presented by Sir John Murray, k.c.b.,. 



F.R.S. 



Portions of four type-specimens of Hexactinellid Sponges 

 from the " Belgica " Antarctic Expedition ; obtained by exchange 

 with Prof. E. van Beneden, of Liege. 



[A complete set of specimens and fragments of Sponges of 

 this valuable collection is in course of being selected for the 

 Natural History Museum.] 



VI. — Economic Zoology. 



In connection with the Economic Section it has only been 

 possible to attend to some small matters in the exhibited 

 series. 



There has been a considerable amount of correspondence 

 respecting blood-sucking flies, the spread of disease by insect 

 agency, and the usual questions as to various injurious species. 



The specimens accompanying the questions have been named 

 as far as possible, and advice given as to the best methods of 

 destroying the various pests. 



Judging from inquiries received during the year, House- 

 mites in furniture are becoming increasingly annoying. 



The following are some of the objects of inquiry : — 



1. Flies (Drosophilidae) bred from apples grown in Bula- 



wayo and infested by apple-moths {Gycligramma 

 latona and Sphingomorpha chlorea). 



2. Fly attacking cattle in Cape Colony {Lyperosia 



jpotans). 



3. Flies infesting stems of wheat (CliTiodiplosis equestris). 



4. Flies which are destructive to orange-crops in the 



Philippine Islands {Dacus ferrugineus). 



5. Flies which are destructive to cacao in Uganda {Cera- 



titis punctata). 



6. Larvae of fly (Oestrus variolosus) from posterior nares 



of West African Hartebeest. 



7. Introduction of wasp {Monedula) to keep down Tsetse- 



fly in Central Africa. 



8. Flies causing damage to cabbages by mining the petioles 



of the leaves. {Phytomyza flavicomis). 



