Of) ANXI'AI. UK PORTS OK DKPARTMKXT OK A O R I ( ' I* I ,TT ' R.K , 1940 
TI( KS affkctim; animals 
A number of organic compounds were tested against the brown 
winter tick (Derftutcentor nigrolineatus Pack.) and the Gulf Coast 
tick and at least three have been shown to have tick-killing proper- 
ties. Progress is being made on the development of a dressing, f<>r 
use on the ears of livestock, that will retain the tick-killing value of 
these materials for a Considerable period. The determination that 
a light petroleum oil, such as is used on human hair, is an effective 
and cheap material for the destruction of the brown winter tick i< 
an important contribution to the control of these serious pests of 
horses and cattle. 
HOUSEHOLD AND STOR ED-PROD I' ( T EN8JH TS 
The frequent occurrence of dollies moth damage to garments stored 
in boxes supposedly tight enough to exclude these insects ted to tests 
to determine the exact size of the crevice through which newly 
hatched larvae of the common webbing clothes moth can pass. It 
was demonstrated that these larvae can penetrate a crevice four one- 
thousandths of an inch in width, but that they cannot pas< through 
one three one-thousandths of an inch in width. 
Low concentrations of paradichlorolxuizene vapor were found to 
cause a retardation, and finally a cessation, of larval feeding of the 
black carpet beetle. Even though the larvae stopped feeding for 
periods of 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the concentration of the rumi- 
gant, large proportions of them remained alive at the end of these 
periods and resumed normal feeding. This resumption of activity 
before death occurred, due to the dissipation of the paradichloroben- 
zene vapors, is an important consideration in the use of paradichloro- 
benzene in the control of carpet beetles. 
INSECT IDENTIFICATION 
A total of 60,485 identifications were made and were reported to 
the senders of the material. Of these about 73 percent were for the 
various research and regulatory unit- of this Bureau and for other 
Federal organizations. The remainder were for agencies of the vari- 
ous States and insular possessions, individuals in the United States, 
and foreign institutions and individual-. Nearly 35 percent of the 
determinations reported were incomplete or required qualification 
owing to the existing uncertainty concerning the limit- of species and 
to the lack' of knowledge of distinguishing characters in many 
groups. This indicate- need for increased emphasis on research in 
inseel classification. Assistance was rendered numerous outside 
workers in connection with problems involving insect taxonomy, no- 
menclature, morphology, specie- distribution, and hosl relation-hips, 
and ill loans and exchanges of bisect material, involving 13,698 
specimens, were arranged. Ninety-six manuscripts were reviewed 
and criticized, the principal object of the review being the checking 
of all scientific names of in-ects contained. 
The extensive reference collections have received the required care 
and in many groups there have been definite improvements in ar- 
rangement in accordance with increased knowledge of the classifica- 
tion. Approximately 78,000 specimens from routine sources were 
added to the reference collections (hiring the year. In addition, a 
valuable collection of leafhoppers, comprising 7r>.o<x) specimens and 
