The insects referred to in this paper were collected in various parts of Africa: those from Egypt by Mr. F. C. Willcocks, Entomologist to the Khedivial Agricultural Society, Cairo; those from Uganda by Mr. C. C. Gowdey, the Government Entomologist; and the remainder by Mr. S. A. Neave. The collections comprise several species which are known to be destructive to cultivated crops and fruits in various parts of the world; and others, judging by their numbers, must at least be considered of potential economic importance. Out of the total of 32 species, ten are new to science, and the lac-producing Tachardia decorella, Maskell, has not hitherto been recorded from Africa

The remarkable insect herein described belongs to the family Psyllidæ, of which relatively few species have hitherto been recorded from Africa. The pupa? (and possibly also the larvas) cover themselves with dense masses of white flocculent or wool-like wax, the separate strands of which are sometimes over one inch in length. These flocculent coverings are arranged together in large patches on both the leaves and stems of the food-plant so that they are thereby rendered most conspicuous. The habit of secreting coverings of white wax is common to many members of this family of the Homoptera; but the great length to which it attains in this species is quite exceptional and noteworthy.

Since the publication of my paper dealing with the taxonomic characters of the genital armature of the males of all the then known species of tsetse-flies* Mr. E. E. Austen has very kindly allowed me to examine a paratype of his Glossina medicorum; and Mr. Guy A. K. Marshall, on behalf of the Entomological Research Committee (Tropical Africa), has submitted to me the specimen of G. tabaniformis, Westwood, upon which Mr. Austen based his re-description† of the male of this species. I am extremely indebted to these gentlemen for giving me the opportunity of making a microscopical examination of these insects, as thereby it has enabled me to complete my observations on the male armature of the tsetse-flies, and also to complete the set of drawings illustrative of the main morphological characters of these organs.

This species is not common. It is found mostly in native gardens or in gardens now fallow, preferring maize or long grass. It differs from other species in that it does not bite quickly, but “settles” itself first, as though to get a comfortable position for the legs, etc.; also in that it bites with its wings extended. H. vittata is very quick on the wing and is difficult to capture. It seems more prevalent on dull days, and was not found till the rains had well set in and the herbage was some feet high.

The theory that the larger wild mammals, commonly called “big game,” are solely and entirely responsible for the presence of tsetse-flies, has become so firmly fixed in the mind of the average “man in the street” in South Africa, that no amount of contrary argument or even proof, were such forthcoming, could ever have much effect in altering his opinion. The newcomer quickly assimilates the same idea, and after a time begins to voice it as assertively as his mentor. It is thus most difficult to obtain really reliable data. An investigator, beginning an enquiry with an open mind, finds himself flooded with such a mass of apparently well substantiated statements, provided by experienced and obviously sincere persons, that he can with difficulty keep his mind free from a certain amount of bias. Starting from the assumption that the presence of fly depends upon that of game, arguments against the continued existence of the latter quickly multiply in the public mind. I was talking to a friend the other day, and he mentioned that he had been replying to some questions upon this very subject. He was no partisan of the anti-game movement, but regretfully expressed his conviction that in order to get rid of tsetse-fly it would be necessary to abolish the larger animals. I ventured, to ask for some clear instance of this interdependence. He was unable to quote any first-hand evidence which might not have been explained away, and his main contention, in short, was, “Of course the fly is dependent upon the game, everyone with any experience knows that; ask any old hunter or native.” This, I think, about sums up the ideas of the majority of people, and, if further argument is deemed necessary, the assumed general disappearance of the fly after rinderpest is pointed to as affording conclusive proof. The presumption is, of course, that the fly, deprived of its means of subsistence, died of starvation. An acquaintance with some of the districts visited by the epidemic would however by no means indicate that this was the real cause of the phenomenon, where it occurred. A study of the effect of rinderpest upon the relations between fly and game, might indeed, were it possible always to obtain accurate data, shed some new and interesting light upon the whole subject.

During conversation with the Resident of Bornu Province, Northern Nigeria, I learned that a former Medical Officer of the district had discovered, some six or seven years ago, a tsetse-fly belt near Mulgue, about 40 miles south of Maifoni, Bornu, and I therefore decided to investigate the locality in July, 1910.

Last year an attempt was made to collect the mosquito larva; breeding in the vicinity of the Institute at Yaba, near Lagos, and to identify them with their imagines. This year it was decided to conduct a similar investigation in the township of Lagos itself. My attention had been directed to the importance of the subject by the occurrence of an outbreak of Yellow Fever in Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast; and further, I had been requested to suggest a set of instructions such as would enable the native Sanitary Inspectors in Lagos to identify the larva of Stegomyia fasciata.

During a seach for mosquito larvae at Yaba, near Lagos, my attention was drawn to their complete absence from a swamp about a mile from the Medical Research Institute. The pools in the swamp appeared to be well suited for the growth of mosquito larvae, and I caught female mosquitos full of eggs in the adjoining fringe of bush. The absence of larvae was therefore evidently not due to any lack of fertile female mosquitos. An examination of the pools showed that they all contained small, active, surface-feeding fish,* belonging to the family Cyprinodontidæ, and it seemed probable that it was by their agency that the pools were kept free from larvae.

In describing the following new species from West Africa, some words of explanation are needed as to the generic names used. In the first place, it is necessary to say that the writer follows Messrs. Dyar and Knab in considering that most of the genera into which Meigen's genus Anopheles has recently been split up are not genera in any accepted sense, and should sink under the old name Anopheles. Provisionally, however, Stethomyia, Chagasia, Calvertina and Bironella are considered as distinct; as none of these genera are African, this will not affect the present paper. Lieut.-Col. A. Alcock, of the London School of Tropical Medicine, has kindly allowed me to see the manuscript of a paper on the classification of Anopheles, which he is about to publish in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History, and I have been able to concur entirely with his views; he recognises only five sub-genera of Anopheles, the sub-genus Nyssorhynchus including all those species with flat scales on thorax and abdomen, i.e., the genera Nyssorhynchus, Cellia and Neocellia of Theobald's Monograph.

The descriptions of new, and determinations of old, species of Anoplura and Mallophaga presented in this paper are based on a small collection of these ecto-parasitic insects taken from mammals and birds of the Egyptian Sudan and other North and West African localities. The collection was made by variouscollectors, as indicated for each species, and was submitted to us by Mr. Guy A. K. Marshall, Scientific Secretary of the Entomological Research Committee (Tropical Africa) of the British Colonial Office.

In the following article I have endeavoured to write as simply as possible a detailed account of the methods for photographing insects which I have myself found to be most successful, and no attempt has been made to discuss alternative methods.

The following paper is the result of the study of material recently received by the Entomological Research Committee, by which the types of two of the species described below have been presented to the British Museum (Natural History): the type of Chrysops centurionis has been handed over to the National Collection by its discoverer, Captain A. D. Fraser, R.A.M.C.

The types of the two species and of the variety described below are in the British Museum (Natural History).

The types of the species described below have been presented to the British Museum (Natural History) by Mr. H. H. King, Government Entomologist, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, by whom coloured figures of both species will shortly be published in the forthcoming Fourth Report of the Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories, Khartoum.