A.I.M.L.T.;R.A.M.C. IN the Entomology~ Department of the' Royal Army Medical College we noticed that the female mosquitoes were,'not feeding as well as, they had been. oWe found that the rabbits used for feeding the ins~ts were increasingly difficult tohandie, probably due 'to irritation caused by the mosqUito bit~s: M.an)' entomolog~calla~oratorie~ use anresthetizedgl!inea-pigs (or feeding the insc:cts, but the " gulDea-plgs develop an lDcreaslDg to~erance to the anresthetlc. There IS ,a great

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... deal of lIterature on , feeding/arthropods through membranes. A study was made to design an apparatus for the routine. feeding ofblood"suckinginsects in the laboratory. This paper'describes the apparatils, its use and the results. " ' • : Th~ feeding tank was constructed' from-/or-irich perspex., It consists of a six-inch square 'water bath open at the top, with four circular tubes of 1 i-inch internal diameter passing through the tank ' vertically and extending half an inch beyond the tank above and below. A lOO-watt aquarium heater and thermostat pass through one wall of the tank. A lid prevents evaporation and heat loss. A flange fitted·aIl round the tank /r inch froni the base supports the bath on a square of hardboard with a , six-inch square. holein its centre. ' Two syTIthetic membrariesand two animal m~mbraneswere tested with the apparatus, b~t both synthetic membranes proved unsuitable, for the mosquitoes could not obtain blood through them.'.' The two animal membranes,.hog~gut sausage'casing and" 'goldbeater's skin'" (prepared ox-crecum); were obtained packed in damp salt. They were stored at 4°C., and have kept in good condition for a year to,date. ~