The genus Leptoconops was erected in 1890 by the Australian dipterist Skuse for a minute black Chironomid fly which he captured at Woronora, near Sydney, New South Wales. This genus he placed in the last of the three sections into which he divided the family Chironomidae, namely, the Ceratopogonina. The fly greatly resembled a small species of Simulium in general facies, and presented certain peculiar characters which rendered it strikingly distinct from other members of the section. Indeed, certain authors (Mik 1894, Johannsen 1905) have since drawn attention to the marked similarity in the wing venation of an American species (L. torrens, Twns.) and Corynoneura, a genus of the subfamily Chironominae. Later (1907) Noé suggested the formation of an additional subfamily—Leptoconopinae—for the Australian and allied species (at that time classified in three genera), and Malloch (1915), although acknowledging that the genus Tersesthes, Twns. (a synonym of Leptoconops), was unknown to him, associated it with the Chironominae rather than with the Ceratopogoninae. Apart from the wing venation, however, Leptoconops shows no affinities with Corynoneura, but rather agrees with the Ceratopogonine midges, particularly in regard to the structure of the thorax and mouth-parts. Several species of Leptoconops have now been described, but owing to differences in the interpretation of, or slight variations in, some of the generic characters given by Skuse, as well as to subsequent descriptive errors, they have, in greater part, been referred to the genera Tersesthes, Twns., and Mycterotypus, Noé. As was to be expected, however, the close agreement exhibited in the diagnoses of these genera and of Leptoconops has caused several authors to suggest their identity; but indefinite or partial conclusion* only were reached, since the genotype of Leptoconops (L. stygius, Sk.) was not re-examined.

In the “Bulletin of Entomological Research” for December 1920 Dr. J. M. Dalziel deals in a most interesting and instructive way with the various, and sometimes curious breeding-places of mosquitos in Lagos. He mentions the occurrence of mosquito larvae in saline waters, and in a foot-note refers to a number of salt-water species.

The following notes deal with the Agaonidae represented in a small collection of fig insects formed in 1907–8, in Sarawak, by Mr. J. Hewitt, now Director of the Albany Museum, Grahamstown, South Africa.

During recent years the number of described species of Australian Tabanidae, or March-flies, as they are almost universally called in this country, has been increased very considerably, and with this increase there has come a wider knowledge of the distribution of the various genera and species. While advancement has taken place in this direction, little progress appears to have been made towards acquiring an accurate knowledge of the life-history and habits of any of these flies, and, up to the present time, no precise information has been published concerning oviposition, larval development, feeding habits and pupation of any of our numerous species.

The adults of the weevil, Euthyrrhinus meditabundus, Fabr., were frequently taken in the forest country to the south of Darwin, Northern Territory, and on several occasions they were bred from the branches of two species of indigenous trees and from custard apples, Poincianas and two unidentified species of introduced ornamental trees growing in the Darwin Botanic Gardens. As a rule the infestation of these trees was not heavy, although Poincianas occasionally showed considerable injury. Mango trees, which were frequently badly damaged and sometimes destroyed by termites (Mastotermes darwinensis), appeared to be immune from attack by Euthyrrhinus, even when growing in close proximity to infested trees of other kinds.

Head and thorax black; abdomen bright orange-red; tegulae red; antennae clear orange-red, the two apical club joints darker, the scape darker and varying to black; posterior legs, including the coxae, clear orange-red; anterior and intermediate coxae black, their femora and tibiae more or less brown or fuscous, their tarsi red.

Head with the integument rather light yellowish, especially when viewed from in front. Erect scales mostly brown, a small area of white ones in the middle towards the front, and in front of these a few long, narrow recumbent scales, not forming a definite frontal tuft. Many light brown bristles between the eyes; border bristles dark. Antennae with the basal joint yellow; in female with a few small scales on the second joint; male plumes light brown. Female palpi very slightly longer than the proboscis, thin, with appressed scales; narrow whitish rings at the tips of the first three joints, just extending on to the bases of the succeeding joints; tip of last joint dark. Second joint slightly longer than the first, slightly shorter than the third and fourth together; fourth joint less than half as long as the third. [Male palpi missing.\ Proboscis dark, except for the labella.

This is the first of a series of papers based on results of breeding experiments and on observations in the field. It is hoped that a full inventigation of the biology of this species will be of value in elucidating the many difficult biological problems of the Aphididae.

It has been found difficult to understand how such a fragile creature as an Anopheline larva could withstand the force of a strong current of water. In the following article it is proposed to explain the phenomenon on anatomical grounds.

Caterpillars on flax in Kenya Colony are farm pests of the first rank. They belong to more than one species, but the one most commonly reared from material from the field is Phytometra (Plusia) orichalcea, F.; Heliothis obsoleta, F., is also met with.

The first record of red scale in Kenya Colony in the file of the Entomological Laboratory is for 1914, on citrus. It is known that the scale has been brought into the country in at least one consignment of citrus, which, being accompanied by a certificate from the country of origin that the plants were free from insect pests, was allowed to enter the country under the Plant Import Regulations then in force, without being inspected. It seems, therefore, likely that red scale is not indigenous to the country, but an introduced pest.