Some time ago Mr. T. J. Anderson, Government Entomologist, Kenya Colony, sent to the Imperial Bureau of Entomology several specimens of a Drepanid moth, the larvae of which were defoliating coffee during 1922. The moth, which is described below, proved to be a new one, and I have described at the same time another species from Northern Nigeria, and have given figures of the male genitalia of both species, and of the wing venation (fig. 1) and male genitalia (fig. 2) of the genotype, Metadrepana glauca, Hmpsn.

It is too often assumed that mosquitos in cold climates always adopt one of two methods of passing the winter: Either (1) that with the decline in the atmospheric temperatures in the autumn the adults cease their reproductive functions, and develop a “fat-body” on which they nourish themselves during the winter months while they rest in a semi-dormant condition in situations sheltered from fatally low temperatures; or (2) that with the decline in atmospheric temperatures during the autumn the adults of a particular species die off, and that their larvae, by adopting a semi-dormant state, are able to keep alive in their habitats, even though the water may freeze and enclose them in a block of ice.

The apparatus here illustrated (Plate i) has been devised by the writer for photographing mosquitoes by the method generally known as “low power photomicrography,” in which a long extension camera fitted with a short focus photographic lens is employed.

My observations in 1923, and more particularly in 1924, made both in nature and in the laboratory, have proved that larvae of Anopheles maculipennis, Mg., are able to crawl quite actively and, under certain conditions, may wander from one pool to another.

The interesting moth described below was bred from larvae which were causing serious damage to pine trees in Cyprus, by the Entomologist to the Department of Agriculture in Cyprus, Mr. D. S. Wilkinson, who has presented to the British Museum (Natural History), through the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, the two males which he bred.

This work was commenced in 1919 and continued in 1920 and 1923. The writer's thanks are due to Prof. H. Maxwell Lefroy, who provided facilities for the carrying out of the work at Westbrook House, Heston, and showed great interest in its progress. Publication of the results has been delayed in the hope that further experiment could be made in the near future.

The descriptions given below of two species of Atrichopogon and some remarks made upon the variability of Culicoides inornatipennis, C.I. & M., as it occurs in the Gold Coast, complete the account of the examination of the collection of African Ceratopogonine midges, kindly placed at our disposal by the Director of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology, to whom we are greatly indebted for this privilege.

This insect has been known for many years as the cause of serious loss to the wheat crops in this country and on the Continent, having been first recognised in 1882, although it probably occurred before that year. In some seasons the damage occasioned by this fly is so severe as to cause the almost complete destruction of the crop in some fields, although more often it results in the crop being made thin and patchy. The damage first becomes apparent in March and April, when the leading shoot of the young plants attacked turns yellow and the plant if small or weak dies off. The injury is caused by the older larva, which feeds within the young shoot. This destruction of the young plants usually occurs in patches about the field, and the bare patches so caused increase in size owing to the larvae moving in the soil from plant to plant, each larva being thus able to destroy several plants. In addition to winter wheat this pest can attack winter barley and winter rye, although such attacks are rare in this country. It can also attack couch grass. Neither oats nor any other crop is attacked. In Great Britain the most severe damage due to this insect has generally occurred in the eastern countries of England and Scotland, although serious injury has also occurred in various other districts, and the severity of the attack has varied enormously from season to season. Damage due to this pest has also been reported from Middle and South Russia, Germany, Austria, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, Tunisia and Mesopotamia.

In Bulletin No. 28 of the Technical and Scientific Service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Egypt I described a new type of light trap for collecting insects which had the advantages that the insects were rapidly killed in good condition for identification, that the light was visible in all directions, and that it could be used with either electricity or acetylene by an untrained worker.

Most of the early stages described below were previously unknown, and as Aëdes variegatus, Dol. (Stegomyia pseudoscutellaris, Theo.) is of great importance in preventive medicine, it seems best to publish these notes and figures at once.

In a recent number of this Bulletin, Lloyd and Johnson (1) attempted to describe and illustrate all the known types of flagellate infections encountered in Glossina. Since this account was written a flagellate, which it is believed has not previously been described, has been encountered in three individuals of G. morsitans at Sherifuri, Northern Nigeria. In the first two cases the worker at the microscope was new to the infections of tsetse and did not notice anything peculiar about the parasite in the proboscides that were being examined. The appearance of the parasites in the stained film caused one slide to be retained with a note, but it was at that time regarded as an aberrant T. vivax infection. In the second instance T. vivax was present, and the unusual forms accompanying it were remarked upon, but unfortunately the slide was not retained. In the third instance it was noticed in the fresh preparation that none of the parasites were fixed to the labrum, as are the vast majority of those in T. vivax infections, nor were they clumped as in this species and in T. congolense. Each individual was free-swimming and many were escaping from the labial cavity, the power of translatory movement being great. The hypo-pharynx was not invaded. The remainder of the fly was then examined and the mid gut was found to be heavily infected, while the salivary glands were negative.

It is an early experience of the Field Entomologist in the Tropics, whether his work lies in countries such as the East African Protectorates, which have well defined seasons, or where the seasons are less clearly marked, as in the Federated Malay States, that a seasonal prevalence of the commoner insects is quite as definite as it is in the Temperate regions. Outside the Tropics the main factor determining prevalence would seem to be suitability of temperature, but in the Tropics, where temperature variations may be slight, moisture is the controlling factor. Purely terrestrial insects which feed, whether as larvae or imagos wholly on vegetable material, breed and are most abundant at such times as the food-plants are at their best, that is when, as the result of favourable conditions of temperature and moisture, there is a full flow of tissue-building sap. The law of seasonal prevalence is valid also for many insects whose imagos derive their food directly from the larger animals, a source of supply available at all seasons. For these insects, too, the same conditions hold good, but affect chiefly the larvae.

The small collection of CERATOPOGONINAE described in this note was made by me last December (1923) during a short voyage on the Nile from Cario to Assuan and back. The steamer on which the voyage was made anchored at night, and being brightly lit, attracted large numbers of midges which congregated on the woodwork in the neighbourhood of lamps and were thus easily secured. The collection, which was brought home to England before being examined, was not rich in CERATOPOGONINAE, but an account of such species as were contained in it may be of some interest, because little appears to be known about the occurrence of these midges in Egypt.

This mosquito has only once been recorded from Palestine, namely, by Mr. P. J. Barraud (Tabgha 1918), and it was thought to have been introduced from Egypt by a transport of E. L. C. Mr. P. A. Buxton and I failed entirely to find it during two years’ collecting.

The attempt to effect the control of insect pests by the introduction of other insects parasitic elsewhere on members of the same or allied genera, and their propagation in the laboratory on their new host until sufficient numbers for field distribution have been obtained, represents a recent and highly important development of Applied Entomological Science. In this connection may be instanced the introduction into Hawaii of parasites destructive to the sugar-cane leafhopper; the introduction of the Scoliid Tiphia parallela, Smith, from Barbados into Mauritius for the control of the Melolonthid Lachnosterna (Phytalus) smithi, Arrow, a sugar-cane pest; the importation into the U.S.A. of Chalcid, Tachinid, and other parasites of the gipsy and brown-tail moths; and the recent despatch to New Zealand of Tachinid files destructive in England to Forficulidae.

The epidemic of sleeping sickness in Central Kavirondo was introduced about 1903 from Usoga across a chain of islands, and finally from Mageta Island to the coast of Kadimu close by. Mageta was evacuated, and subsequent return of the population brought back the disease, leading to a second evacuation, second return, and renewal of the disease about 1920–21, leading to final evacuation two years ago.

Glossina palpalis occurs plentifully along the 100 miles of coast examined, between the Sio River and the mouth of the Kavirondo Gulf, except just south of Sio, and in the neighbourhoood of the mouths of the Yala and Nzoia Rivers. Ample evidence was obtained that non-mammalian blood is much preferred to that of the hippopotamus, which was the only source of mammalian blood, except man and cattle at some localities.

Belonging to the Ortheziinae. Antennae four-segmented, situated on low tubercles; eyes well developed and situated close to but not fused with the base of antenna. Tibia and tarsus distinct, tibia exceedingly short compared with tarsus. Larva with antennal and limb characters of adult. Genotype O. reynei, sp. n.

♀. Black, except as follows: funicle piceous, base of 6th (8th) tergite dark brownish; scape, pedicel and ring-joint, trochanters, femora and tibiae ferruginous; tarsi much paler; pubescence pale brown to nearly golden (on head) and on funicle paler. The head and thorax somewhat dull; abdomen shining, except on the ventral overlap of tergite 4(6) and on tergite 6(8).