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Dr. Bagshawe observed that in Zululand the tsetse-fly was essentially a veterinary rather than an entomological problem.

Major Austen said that he had mentioned to Mr. Harris the following five methods which, in his opinion, it was important should be given a thorough trial, over a period including more than one season, in Zululand :—

(1) Clearing.

(2) Systematic fly-catching by native fly boys.

(3) Catching by tanglefoot and other similar preparations.

(4) Artificial breeding-places.

(5) Parasites.

Dr. Bagshawe observed that he would add to these the mapping of breeding- places and their systematic clearing out.

178

Sundry Publications

Balance of Carnegie Fund

Queen's Gate Office

Library

Provident Fund

Travelling Expenses

General Expenses Export of Parasites

£ 8. d. 50 0 0

£ s. d.

200 0 0

250 0 0

100 0 0

205 0 0

100 0 0

50 0 0

150 0 0

£7,285 0 0

£12,755 6 0

Balance of Tropical African Fund Balance of Bureau Fund

617 17 10 4,852 8 2

£12,755 6 0

£12,755 6 0

18914

No. 59. ¡

WillihuCO.

18914

No. 58,

IMPERIAL BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY.

THE Fifth Meeting of the Glossina Sub-Committee was held at the Colonial Office at 4.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 8th April, 1924.

Present:

SIR H. READ (Chairman).

MAJOR AUSTEN.

DR. BAGSHAWE.

DR. MARSHALL.

DR. NEAVE.

MR. SEEL (Assistant Secretary).

1 The minutes of the Fourth Meeting (held on the 30th January 1923)* were approved.

2. The Sub-Committee considered a memorandumt by Mr. R. H. Harris on the subject of tsetse-fly investigation in Zululand.

Dr. Marshall referred to the report issued by the Sub-Committee in May, 1920, and said that Mr. Lounsbury, the Chief of the Entomological Division of the South African Government, had taken up the recommendations of the Sub-Committee, and that Mr. R. H. Harris had now been working for three years in Zululand investi- gating Glossina pallidipes. He understood that Mr. Harris' engagement would continue for two years after his return to South Africa, but that it was doubtful what would happen to the work at the end of that period. He read a letter from Sir Stewart Stockman expressing regret at not being able to attend the meeting, but urging the desirability of an experimental attack upon the tsetse-fly on the lines of Mr. Harris' memorandum, and suggesting that valuable assistance could probably be given for this purpose by the South African Veterinary Department.

The Sub-Committee were of opinion that it would be unfortunate if the work already accomplished in Zululand were not followed up to the fullest possible extent. They considered that the situation in Zululand offered an excellent opportunity for organized experiment. Mention was made of the fact that the country was one of the six places suggested in the Sub-Committee's report as suitable for the establish- ment of experimental work, and it was considered that Zululand was one of the most valuable links in the chain.

It was agreed that Dr. Marshall should draft,. a memorandum based on the suggestions put forward by Sir S. Stockman, and that after circulation to members of the Sub-Committee for their observations, the memorandum should be submitted to the Managing Committee of the Bureau, with the suggestion that the Committee might recommend the Secretary of State to transmit it to the Government of the Union of South Africa, with a covering despatch urging the importance of the work, and mentioning the steps taken elsewhere in Africa, e.g., the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone, to pursue tsetse-fly investigation, and also pointing out the importance of the

* Not printed. † Annexure to No. 59.

No. 101 in Miscellaneous No. 921.

IMPERIAL BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. MEMORANDUM BY THE GLOSSINA SUB-COMMITTEE ON THE TSETSE INVESTIGATIONS NOW BEING CARRIED on in Zululand.

It has been the policy of the Glossina Sub-Committee of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology to keep in touch with any work that is being done in Africa in connexion with the control of tsetse-flies, and for this purpose advantage has been taken of the recent visit to England of Mr. R. H. Harris, of the Division of Entomology, Union of South Africa, who has for some years been making a special study of Glossina pallidipes in Zululand.

Various members of the Sub-Committee have discussed very fully with Mr. Harris the work that he has been doing, and in accordance with a suggestion received from Mr. C. P. Lounsbury, Chief of the Division of Entomology, Pretoria. Mr. Harris was asked to submit for the consideration of the Sub-Committee a brief statement as to the lines along which it is desirable, in his opinion, that future work should proceed.

This suggested programme, a copy of which is appended, has now been examined by the Sub-Committee, and we are of opinion that it is a sound one and well worth a trial, although probably 250 acres would be too small an area on which to test the value of thicket destruction as a means of eliminating the fly. It is clear, however, that the proposals put forward cannot be carried out if Mr. Harris is expected to continue working under the same conditions as he has in the past. Hitherto he has been carrying on a purely entomological investigation into the habits and life-history of G. pallidipes, and while we consider such a preliminary enquiry to be essential, it is highly improbable that a mere continuance of such work will lead to a solution of the tsetse problem. Indeed, the money expended upon it is likely to be wasted unless the information acquired is put to some practical use in making an actual attack upon the fly on a fairly large experimental scale, such as we now advocate..

This experiment will obviously involve a larger staff and greater expenditure, and yet we feel justified in urging the Government of the Union to give it their most sympathetic consideration. The tsetse problem in Zululand is a pressing one, for not only are actual settlers suffering heavy losses of cattle from nagana, but also large areas of fertile land suitable for settlement are rendered useless owing to the presence of this fly; yet up to now the only organized remedial measure that has been attempted has been game destruction, and that has not been conspicuously suc- cessful. In the circumstances it would seem reasonable to give other methods at least a fair trial, and especially because the permanent elimination of the fly is more likely to be attained by a combined attack upon it along several different lines than by concentrating on a single method.

But there are other considerations that also weigh with us in making this recommendation. Most, if not all, of the investigators who have made a special study of tsetse-flies are now agreed that attempts at wholesale eradication of these insects over wide stretches of uninhabited country are not worth undertaking, for the permanence of the effects produced is more than dubious, and the results are not likely to justify the labour and expenditure involved. The soundest policy is to

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