78 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF QUEENSLAND. 
bancrofti) from the mosquito to man. He experimented with several 
species as vectors, and showed that mosquitoes, if fed on fruit, could be 
kept alive in captivity for weeks. This work appears to have led to 
his wider studies of mosquitoes. His interest always lay primarily with 
the living insect, its habits and life history, as is shown by his detailed 
and accurate observations, but he was also an enthusiastic collector. 
Between 8th May, 1899, and 10th October, 1901, nine samples totalling 
over 600 mosquitoes were received at the British Museum from T. L. 
Bancroft, and his specimens formed the basis for Theobald’s work on 
Australian species in “A Monograph of the Culicidae of the World.” 
The Queensland Museum collection is composed mainly of Bancroft’s 
specimens, and there are large numbers of them in the collections of the 
Macleay Museum and the School of Public Health and Tropical 
Medicine, Sydney. Of 48 described species of mosquitoes with type 
localities in Queensland, the type specimens of 25 were collected by 
Bancroft. In addition, he collected at least another 25 species, many 
being the first records for this State. He collected also in New South 
Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. In 1908 he published a “List of the 
Mosquitoes of Queensland with the Original Descriptions and notes on 
the Life History of a Number” (Annals of Queensland Museum, No. 8). 
The descriptions are taken from Theobald and others, the notes on habits, 
life history, eggs and larvae are Bancroft’s, and much of his work has 
not been repeated. 
T. L. Bancroft, in 1905, carried out the first transmission experi- 
mental work on dengue in Australia, and went at least half-way to 
proving that Aedes aegypti was the vector. He may justly be 
regarded as the father of mosquito research in Queensland, and such 
names as Anopheles bancrofti and Aedes bancroftianus bear tribute to 
his work. 
In addition to his work on mosquitoes, Dr. T. L. Bancroft paid much 
attention to fruit flies, and many of the species described by Mr. 
Henry Tryon were first collected by him. He also sent a large collection 
of fruit Hies to the British Museum, including many species not yet 
rediscovered. At least two species of fruit flies bear the specific name 
bancrofti in recognition of his work. As with the mosquitoes, he was 
more interested in the biology of the fruit flies and their relationship to 
native flora than in the taxonomy. 
In other fields of biology T. L. Bancroft was equally enthusiastic in 
his pursuit of knowledge. He made numerous investigations on 
parasites of domestic and native animals and birds. He studied in 
detail the life history of the Ceratodus, and was able to rear specimens 
to over two years old in his aquarium. 
He has set a standard in experimental biology in Queensland, which 
should be an inspiration to all who follow him in this field. 
