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The half-yearly report of the Director was received (copy annexed). Mr. II stated that no arrangements had yet been made for filling permanently the caused by the death of Mr. Gotch, but that temporary assistance was being

Mr. Ealand.

was glad to say that the Bureau would now be able to identify insects for adian Government, a form of assistance which was not anticipated when vernment first decided to support the Bureau. He informed the Committee

· Gordon Hewitt had written to him urging that, if the work of the Bureau be curtailed in any way owing to the war, no alteration should be made as the publication of the Review of Applied Entomology, as that publication

valuable to be cut down.

stated that he had also received a letter from Mr. Fiske in Uganda, relating interesting discoveries made by him as to the relation between Glossina and animals. His investigations seemed to show that the association between and human beings was not so close as was previously supposed: indeed s lizards were found actually to make breeding places suitable for the fly reeding places did not naturally exist. The general conclusion seemed to he re was a very close association of the fly with Varanus lizards, crocodiles, itunga, and that, generally speaking, it was only in the absence of such

that the fly obtained blood from man.

laid before the Committee a letter received from Dr. Gordon Hewitt dealing ⚫ arrangements for Carnegie students in America. It was decided to refer er to the Selection Sub-Committee, who would go fully into the various points Dr. Gordon Hewitt spoke very highly of the valuable help afforded by Dr. loward at Washington in looking after these students and organizing their nd Mr. Marshall was requested to write to Dr. Howard at Washington and him how much the Committee appreciated all that he and his assistants had r the Carnegie students. ferring to the first paragraph of the Director's report, the Chairman moved resolution of sympathy should be sent to the relatives of Mr. Gotch. Sir Morris seconded the proposal, and the following resolution was passed:

"The Managing Committee of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology learn with deep regret that Mr. Duncan H. Gotch, one of the Entomological Assistants of the Bureau, was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, and they esire that an expression of their sincere sympathy be sent to his relatives." › Chairman called attention to the last paragraph of the Director's report, 1 mention was made of the appointment of Captain E. E. Austen and Pro- .Newstead, by the War Office, to devise and superintend measures for con- flies and other harmful insects in connexion with sanitary measures taken rve the health of the troops. The Committee agreed that a letter should be to the War Office offering any assistance which the Bureau could give, and o be furnished with any results obtained by those who were entrusted with k. The question of putting the services of some of the staff of the Bureau lisposal of the War Office for this purpose was also considered, but it was better to wait until the War Office had received and replied to the letter assistance in general terms before attempting to make a any detailed arrange-

The report of the Chairman of the Finance Sub-Committee was received nexed). Dr. Harmer summarized briefly the contents of the report, and Mr 1 mentioned, in connexion with the Stegomyia survey, that he had heard y from Dr. A. T. Stanton that if the Malay States Government agreed he e glad to carry out the investigation suggested.

› Committee gave their covering approval to the recommendations made by -Committee in respect of the financing of the Bureau and the Stegomyiz ation, and also gave authority to the Sub-Committee to take whatever action found desirable in allocating funds for the Stegomyia investigation. The Annual Report* on the work of the Bureau for 1914 was laid before the tee.

The Committee considered the question of Dr. J. J. Simpson's return to frica for a further tour of service, but, pending a reply from the War Office ffer of assistance mentioned previously, it was decided to postpone action.

* Colonial Reports (Annual), No. 834.

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6. Copies of correspondence* with the Governor of Uganda as to the employ- ment of Mr. W. F. Fiske were received. Mr. Read informed the Committee that a telegram had recently been sent to the Governor to the effect that Mr. Fiske should be kept entirely to his own special work.

7. A report by the Government Bacteriologist in Hong Kong for the first half of the year 1914† was received. Dr. Harmer pointed out one or two errors in the list of species as printed.

Mr. Marshall explained that it had been believed at one time that there was a large number of Stegomyia fasciata in Hong Kong; that Major James then visited Hong Kong in connexion with his yellow fever investigations and came to the con- clusion that the species in Hong Kong was not fasciata but scutellaris, but that the work done by the Government Bacteriologist, Mr. H. Macfarlane, had proved that there were both fasciata and scutellaris in Victoria, and that there was an even larger number of the former species in Kowloon. He added that if Dr. Stanton undertook the investigation proposed the results would have to be carefully examined, as the experience gained in Hong Kong seemed to show that if results should be in any case negative they might be fallacious. He thought, therefore, that Dr. Stanton should, if possible, arrange for the local Medical Officers or other suitable persons to carry on the investigation by conducting a more thorough survey after his departure than he himself would be able to carry out in the short time at his disposal.

The Committee recommended that the Secretary of State should send a despatch to the Governor of Hong Kong, expressing appreciation of the very valuable work carried out by Mr. Macfarlane in connexion with his Stegomyia investigations in Hong Kong.

8. Copies of despatches to the Dominions and Colonies as to a renewal of their contributions to the Bureau were received.

9. Copies of correspondence§ on the subject of the Stegomyia survey were received.

10. Dr. Shipley raised the question of obtaining a renewal of the grant for the Carnegie studentships after the expiration of the present grant in 1916. The Com- mittee thought that perhaps the Earl of Cromer might be asked to write to Mr Carnegie on the subject, or that possibly some communication might be sent to Mr. Carnegie by the Secretary of State,

Annexure 1 to No. 17.

HALF-YEARLY REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR FOR THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE MANAGING COMMITTEE, 5TH MAY, 1915.

It is with the deepest regret that I have to record the death of Mr. Duncan H. Gotch, one of the entomological assistants of our Bureau. Mr. Gotch was in the Artists Rifles and recently received a commission in the Worcesters. On the 11th March he was shot through the head when, as the last remaining officer of his company, he was leading his men in a charge at Neuve Chapelle. It is a heavy loss to the Bureau, as he was a young man of exceptional promise and a very enthusiastic and willing worker, besides possessing a charming personality.

It seems likely that there will be some difficulty in filling the vacancy, and the identification work is still being carried on by Mr. Ealand, who has had to be taken off his normal work of indexing the literature of plant pests since Mr. Gotch left at the beginning of the war.

Identifications.-The chief effect of the war upon our work has been to reduce considerably the number of blood-sucking flies and general collections of insects sent by medical men from Tropical Africa; owing to the fact that so many doctors are on active service, and the remainder have less leisure for this kind of work. The various Government entomologists, however, have continued to send in collections for identification, and on a somewhat larger scale. During the six months ending the 31st March 72 consignments have been received from 45 different correspon- dents; these comprised over 11,000 specimens, of which 4,600 were blood-suckers.

Hitherto the Canadian entomologists have not had any occasion to avail them- selves of the facilities afforded by the Bureau for the identification of insects, any- thing that could not be named locally having been sent to Washington; but since the establishment of the National Museum at Ottawa difficulties have arisen with

No. 8 in Appendix VIII. in [Cd. 7706], April, 1915,

Nos, 5 and 7.

Nos. 137 and 198 in Miscellaneous No. 200.

↑ Nos. 8 and 11.

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