7G THE ZOOLOGIST. 



" It is," he says, " not intended as a popular treatise on the 

 subject," but " primarily intended for the use of entomologists, 

 medical men, health officers, and others similarly engaged or 

 interested in the subject, and it is hoped that it will be of value 

 to students." There is no doubt of this, and it is certainly a 

 work which all interested in general zoology will find invaluable, 

 and one which should be widely disseminated in public libraries. 



There is so much of interest in a work like this that it is 

 difficult to make selections, but particular attention may be 

 drawn to some special points. One is the extreme omnivorous- 

 ness of the maggot of Musca domestica, which can apparently 

 extract nutriment from almost any organic substance that is not 

 too dry, though its favourite pabulum, and that on which it 

 develops best, is stable-manure. Another is the curious fact 

 that among its enemies is to be noted the larva of its ally, the 

 Cluster-Fly (Muscina stabulans), which attacks and devours the 

 House-Fly maggot, although commonly feeding, like it, on 

 miscellaneous animal and vegetable refuse. The list of diseases 

 which can be transmitted by House-Flies is something appalling; 

 not only are bacteria transferred by the feet of the insect, soiled 

 by contact with filth, to our food and drink and our persons, but 

 the habit of the Fly of disgorging a part of its last meal on 

 whatever it is partaking of at the moment, if this needs 

 softening, is a potent factor in disease-dissemination. 



It is also interesting to note that, though the general 

 realization of the danger from this household insect is quite 

 recent, it was suspected as a disease- carrier as long ago as 

 1577 by Mercurialis, while at long intervals it has been again 

 accused. A very full bibliography, occupying thirty-five pages, 

 concludes this masterly contribution, as valuable to pure science 

 as to the utilitarian application of our knowledge. 



Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology. Vol. viii. No. 3. 

 Liverpool : University Press. December 15th, 1914. 



This journal contains a very interesting paper by Dr. H.'B. 

 Fantham and Dr. Annie Porter, on a new Microsporidium 

 infesting humble-bees, and the diseases it induces in them. The 

 organism in question has been appropriately named Nosema 



