Dr. Lucius Nicholls 229 
The four pods were opened in six days, the 
two to which the flies had access had under- 
gone fermentation, the other two were much 
ae same as freshly picked pods. 
(2) The second series of experiments con- 
sisted in using fine netting through which the 
flies could not crawl. Small new wooden 
boxes were filled with beans and the netting 
placed over them. In some of these a few 
meshes of the netting were so enlarged that 
these flies could just crawl through, whilst 
others were thoroughly protected from the 
flies, but to all intents and purposes not more 
protected from the air than the former. 
The results were a little variable, as regards 
actual time and degree of sweating, but in all 
experiments better and quicker fermentation 
took place in those which were not protected 
from the fly. 
Yeasts and other organisms. can always be 
isolated by cultural methods from this little fly. 
From these experiments and observations | 
conclude that this little fly is of value in that 
it is always present, that it conveys the causal 
organisms of fermentation to cacao, and its 
larvee in crawling through and through the 
fermenting mass distribute the organisms 
evenly. 
These flies are seen in association with all 
decaying vegetables and fruits, such as plums, 
bananas, and bread fruits, and from these, 
yeasts and other organisms can be cultured. 
