It was decided in May 1942 to make a survey of the Culicine mosquitos of Syria and the Lebanon, but the more important work dealing with the Anophelines prevented a complete and detailed one of the whole of Syria, though that of the Lebanon is more or less complete. Where only one or two records exist for any particular species, it cannot be presumed that these mosquitos are not common, and a subsequent detailed survey would probably reveal not a wider distribution of some species but also the presence of others not recorded here.

Whenever possible, eggs and larvae were bred out and permanent mounts made of the larval and pupal skins, and consequently identification of most of the species was based on larval, pupal and adult characters.

The identification keys used were taken from Marshall's “ British Mosquitoes ” 1938, and Kirkpatrick's “ Mosquitoes of Egypt ” 1925. It was found necessary to alter and to make new additions to these as they did not contain all those species found to be present.

I wish to thank Lieutenant-Colonel MacDonald, R.A.M.C, Malariologist, for permitting me to complete this work, Major H. S. Leeson, R.A.M.C, Entomologist, and Major O. Theodor, R.A.M.C, Entomologist, for their invaluable help in the construction of the keys and the confirmation of the species.

Uranotaenia unguiculata, Edw.-A single female was found resting among the vegetation in the daytime at Ammiq swamp in November, and a single larva was taken there in October. The breeding place was a small clay pit, 6–8 inches deep and containing green algae and a certain amount of vertical vegetation. U. unguiculata has not been found in any other part of Syria or the Lebanon.

While assisting my late husband, Dr. M.A. Volkonsky, in his work on locusts at Algiers, I accumulated considerable practical experience with regard to the technique of mass breeding of locusts in cages, as well as making some observations on their behaviour. The following notes do not pretend to be scientific, but they may be of interest and value to other workers.

This paper has been written in response to a request for determinations of certain parasites of wood-boring beetles in Queensland, Australia. The description of a new species of Monolexis entailed rather more research than was expected and has led to the expression of a few opinions of an exploratory nature on the status of the subfamily Hecabolinae. Altogether one new species in the Doryctinae and six (including one new genus) in the Hecabolinae are described.

The types of all new species are in the British Museum.

Pyrethrum-oil films were tested in various forms on plaster substrata against the tick, Ornithodorus moubata. The insecticide was most effective if applied :—

1. Concentrated rather than dilute.

2. In a medium rather than a light petroleum oil.

3. As an emulsion in Lanette Wax Solution rather than in oil alone.

4. With an irritant (such as 4-chlor-2-methyl-phenol) present in the solution.

A survey of the distribution of Aëdes aegypti and other Culicine mosquitos was made during the dry season of 1942, between 31st March and 15th May. The position of Eritrea gives it a particular interest in relation to the possible spread of yellow fever from Africa to the East. In the west it borders on the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, in parts of which yellow fever is endemic, and it has a Red Sea coast line of some 600 miles, near the centre of which is the port of Massawa. The Culicines hitherto found include six that are known to be potential vectors of yellow fever.

The topography and climate of Eritrea have been described by Lega, Raffaele and Canalis (1937). The country may be divided into four areas, the eastern and western plains, the mountain slopes and the plateau. The latter, on which lie several of the towns, is from about 1,900 to 2,500 metres (some 6,200 to 8,200 feet) above sea level.

Amongst a collection of Miridae made by Mr. H. E. Box in the Gold Coast, during his work on the insect pests of cacao plantations, is a series representing a new genus and species of Bryocorinae allied to Sahlbergella, Hagl. These specimens were submitted to me by the Imperial Institute of Entomology and are herewith described.

The genus Schistocerca is one of very great economic importance, since it includes the Desert locust of the Old World, Schistocerca gregaria (Forsk.) and the South American locust, S. paranensis (Burm.). It was therefore considered of value to study the life history of one of the solitary species living in Trinidad, and the present investigations were made during 1942 at the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture at St. Augustine.

The climate of Trinidad is humid tropical. The annual rainfall over nineteen years at St. Augustine averaged 68·4 inches, but in the north-east of the Island the rainfall is over 100 inches per annum, falling to below 60 inches on the West coast. The rainy season usually begins about June, with a break in August or September, and lasts till the end of the year or the early part of January. November may be taken as one of the wettest months with a rainfall of about 11·5 inches (at St. Augustine), while more than half an inch is not usual for April. The humidity in November averages about 85 per cent. in the morning and 77 per cent. in the afternoon, but it is still high in April, being 75 per cent. and 64 per cent. for morning and afternoon respectively. The night humidities are even higher. The temperature remains practically constant throughout the year, averaging about 84°F. (29°C.) during the day, and 74°F. (23·3°C.) at night. The temperature may reach 95°F. (35°C.) during the day in the dry season, but it seldom falls as low as 65°F. (18·3°C.) at night.

Aëdes (Finlaya) alektorovi, sp. n.

A dark species of medium size ; praescutum with a large quadratic spot covered with golden-yellow scales. Abdominal segments with small white-scaled lateral spots. Hind tarsi with apical and basal bands on joints 1–3.

♂. Head. dark, covered with pale yellowish erect scales ; eye-margins with many long black bristly hairs (ocular chaete). Proboscis black and black-scaled. Palpi a little shorter than proboscis, black, covered with black scales, in apical part a little clubbed ; apical and preapical joint of palpi with some long dark hairs. Antennae dark brown, with paje bands and a tuft of long blackish hairs. Mesonotum black, covered with numerous golden-yellow scales ; lateral area of praescutum with a small spot of blackish-brown scales; lateral area of scutum with a similar spot. Scutum between the dorsocentral bristles covered with blackish-brown scales. Mesonotal bristles golden-yellow. Scutellum covered with pale yellow scales, with three groups golden-yellow bristles. Pleurae brown. Dorsal margin of proepimera covered with yellowish sickle-shaped scales ; caudal margin of proepimera with a small spot of broad silvery-white scales. Dorsal part of sternopleura with a large spot of broad silvery-white scales, in the middle of caudal margin a similar but much smaller spot. Dorsal part of mesepisterna with a distinct spot of broad silvery-white scales. Abdomen black, with dorsum of all segments densely covered with black scales with steel-blue reflexions ; bases of tergites with triangular lateral spots of broad silvery-white scales. Hypopygium : coxite cylindrical, four times as long as broad at base ; basal part of coxite with a small lobe-like prominence, armed with seven long and stout bristles.

(1) Previous records of natural enemies of the cacao thrips, Selenothrips rubrocinctus, Giard, are reviewed.

(2) An account is given of the following natural enemies in Trinidad, B.W.I. :—Dasyscapus parvipennis, Franklinothrips tenuicornis, F. vespiformis, Chrysopids, Ninyas torvus, Termatophylidea maculata and Wasmannia auropunctata.

(3) The Eulophid parasite, Dasyscapus parvipennis, was introduced into the West Indies from the Gold Coast in 1935. It is now successfully established in Trinidad, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, but has so far given no indication of economic control of the cacao thrips.

(4) The importance of natural enemies is discussed. Observations are made on the feeding propensities of some of the predators in the laboratory. Chrysopids are regarded as the most important predators and probably exercise some measure of control.

(5) Population counts of the cacao thrips and Chrysopid and Franklinothrips larvae are given.

In 1941 Edwards listed nine species from British Somaliland, comprising one Anopheline and eight Culicines. These were the specimens collected by R. E. Drake-Brockman in 1913 and by T.H. Twigg in 1930, but there appears to have been no datailed mosquito survey of the terrtory.

The present notes are based on a small collection made by the writer in January 1942, as a result of a brief survey in a limited area of the Protectorate, augmented by notes and material, mostly larvae, made by Dr. D. G. MacInnes from March to June 1942. Although only a few places were visited, the survey has added a further thirteen species to the list for the territory. Owing to circumstances, the restricted area investigated was confined to the region along the roads Boramo-Hargeisa to Berbera and Berbera to Burao, the altitude range being from sea-level to 5,000 feet.