sgt fia 
In line. with this same idea of utilizing the unemployed in salt marsh 
mosquito control G, Hy Bradley” of thé Orlaias, Flavy ‘laboratory, made a 
preliminary survey of the present situation in Mississippi and Alabama. 
Various local and State officials in those States were conferred with. The 
initiation of extensive drainage work appears te be feasible in several dis~ 
uricts. 
Stable fly a serious pest along the North Florida Gulf Coast.—W. V, 
King of the Orlando, Fla,, laboratory, in company with L. G. Lenert, head 
of the Engineering Department of the Florida State Board of Health, made 
a trip during the latter part of October to investigate the reported ocmr- 
rence of excessive numbers of the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans L., 
along the northern Florida gulf coast. Inquiries elicited the information 
that this fly, locally known as the "dog fly", becomes a serious pest each 
year in this area during the months of September and October. They are 
most troublesome to people along the beaches, and after their appearance 
all the bathing resorts are closed up and the beaches avoided. Fisherman 
are, greatly tormented, as are also domestic animals, especially dogs and 
cattle, the latter having acquired the curious habit of wading out into 
the salt water and remaining there half submerged for hours. Dairymen re- 
‘ported losses in milk production of from 25 to 50 percent during the fly 
season. A mixture of fish oil and crude petroleum was found to be commonly 
used on the cattle as a fly repellent, At one ef the dairics visited the 
cattle were kept during the daytime in a large stable, the interior ef 
which was darkened as much as possible by hanging burlap over all the epen- 
ings. The area of heaviest infestation appears to extend from the vicinity 
of Saint Marks on the east to the western boundary of the State, an air-line 
distance of nearly 200 miles. While conditions peculiar to this part of the 
coast must be responsible for such unusual abundance of the fly, no definite 
information as to their probable source could be obtained so late in the 
season. 
Buffale enat status in Mississippi.--G. H. Bradley made atrip to the 
buffals gnat areas in Mississippi during the latter part of October for 
the purpose of ascertaining whether or not any young larvae of Eusinulium 
pecuarun Riley had appeared in the rivers, Examinations were made in tha 
Coldwater, Tallahatchie, and Yalobusha Rivers, all cf which were at very 
low stage. A number of gnat larvae were collected. Only a few of these 
have been examined, none of which appear to be EH. pecuarun, 
