Studies on the breeding behaviour of Aedes (Segomyia) Aegypti L. In Southern Nigeria, including observations on the breeding site preferences and the variations in breeding intensity throughout the year

The area in which these studies were carried out was the village of Ilobi fifty miles North-West of Lagos. The village clearing, in late secondary forest was half a mile in diameter and had population of fourteen hundred. To the North of the village was farmland, to the East scrub running into late secondary forest and some farmland and to the West a cocoa plantation. The climate in the village was typically hotter and dryer than in the forest. A.aegypti breeding was restricted to the village area and the pre-adults were most abundant in domestic clay water pots, whilst breeding intensity was greater inside than outside the houses. Throughout the year breeding was continuous in the village but in the dryer and hotter months some breeding was observed beyond this area although never within the actual forest. The population fluctuations as indicated by pre-adult numbers were as follows. In the dry season (November to February) the numbers were at a minimum and at the commencement of the rains there was a sharp increase followed by a decline in mid-rainy season (May to July). There was a further increase in August and then a gradual decline toward the end of the year. Laboratory studies indicate some of the factors which control this pattern of breeding and activity. As the adult is almost exclusively anthropophilic the concentration of human population is considered to be a major factor controlling the distribution. The adults show a marked preference for ovipositing in Clearwater as opposed to that which is fouled by organic debris. The breeding intensity inside houses is probably controlled by light intensity and water temperature as adults show a preference for darker and cooler ovipositioning sites

A Creationist Model of Dinosaur Paleobiogeography

During the last 20 years much has been written about dinosaur paleobiogeography. This presents a challenge to creationists who wish to be consistent with the Bible and the evidence from paleontology, biogeography and geology. Publications by evolutionists report that dinosaur fossils are first found in the Middle or early Late Triassic rocks of the Southern Hemisphere. The three major constituent clades, Ornithischia, Sauropodomorpha and Theropoda, are found in Late Triassic rocks and Early Jurassic rocks. There are also dinosaur footprints in Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks. Middle to Late Jurassic and Cretaceous rocks contain the greatest diversity of dinosaurs. This diversification was associated with the appearance of various dinosaur kinds around the globe. It is thought that dinosaurs dispersed from the southern hemisphere across the globe as a result of movements of tectonic plates, via land bridges and across the sea. The majority of creationists consider that these fossils and trackways were buried during the later stages of the global flood. This model requires the survival of dinosaurs during the cataclysmic onset of the flood and then for several months, before leaving footprints in newly deposited sediments. This would have to be repeated several times to account successive rock layers with footprints and fossils which must have been deposited while the whole Earth was covered with water. This appears highly improbable. An alternative hypothesis is that the dinosaur fossils and dinosaur footprints, found in Mesozoic rocks, record the dispersal and diversification of the original dinosaur kinds which came off Noah’s ark. This post-flood model might allow time for the small number of dinosaur kinds to multiply and diversify as they spread across the globe. At the same time the break-up of Pangea resulted in repeated transgressions and regressions of the sea which produced the majority of the Mesozoic sediments. This is consistent with the evidence of increased diversity in later rocks which in a young Earth paradigm would have happened in a few 100 years after the flood. It also provides an explanation for stratomorphic series which seem unlikely within some commonly accepted models of flood geology

Quantifying the nature and extent of native fauna by-catch during feral cat soft-catch leg-hold trapping

Feral cats devastate the Australian landscape and have been linked to a number of species extinctions through either predation or spread of diseases. Soft-catch leg-hold traps are routinely used to capture feral cats for research purposes or control, however by-catch is likely. Examination of by-catch data provided for six sites in Western Australia during the period 1997-2014 identified variability in by-catch across sites. This was attributed to differences in climate and landscape, the likely abundance of introduced predators prior to trapping and the experience of the trappers affecting when, where and how traps were set. Olfactory lures affected the taxonomy (with the exception of birds) of by-catch; reptiles were attracted to the PONGO lure (mix containing predator urine and faeces) used, but mammals were repelled. Reptiles may associate strong odours with food, while the mammals were cautious of the predatory species’ scent. Non-native by-catch were injured in traps less than the native by-catch most likely because they were generally better able to withstand the pressure from closing jaws. Amongst the native fauna; birds were more likely to be severely injured due to their morphology, behaviour and weight; amongst non-avian fauna species, the larger the captured individuals, the less likely they were to be injured due to their ability to better withstand the trap pressure. Injury to by-catch species poses animal ethics concerns, as approval to trap may be denied based on frequency and severity of injury to native and target species alike. It also raises concern for species of conservation significance that already have dwindling populations, such as the woylie, and can least afford the added threat from trapping. Future trapping exercises should proceed cautiously, with care taken in the timing of trapping, the placement of traps and the setting of traps (especially the treadle pressure needed to close the trap) to minimise the chance of by-catch and potential mortality. Additionally, by-catch welfare reports should be routinely prepared and examined to ensure best practice and on-going improvement

At Home: Family reintegration of trafficked Indonesian men

Large numbers of Indonesian men migrate each year for work in construction, in factories and in agriculture, on plantations and on fishing boats. Many of them end up exploited in ways that constitute human trafficking, suffering violence, deprivation, restricted freedom and severe exploitation as well as long periods of separation from their families. This article explores the challenges faced by forty-nine Indonesian men reintegrating into their families and communities after having been trafficked. While many problems with the family were caused by economics, tensions also resulted from long separations, fractured relationships, and frustration and blame over ‘failed’ migration and unfulfilled expectations. Tensions were sometimes exacerbated when men faced recrimination and blame in their communities after return. Understanding the nature of and reasons for the problems that men faced after trafficking is vital in considering how trafficked men and their families can be supported to recover and reintegrate after trafficking

The Final Twelve

When the COVID-19 pandemic moved law classes online, the University of Saskatchewan College of Law admitted an additional twelve students. These students had the lowest index scores in their class. This paper reviews their first year academic performance, compares it to other students admitted in the same year, and concludes that at least at the margin, applicants’ index score is not an accurate predictor of academic success. The author recommends that admissions committees use additional criteria, at least for applicants at the margin. Lorsque la pandémie de COVID-19 a entraîné la mise en ligne des cours de droit, la faculté de droit de l’université de Saskatchewan a admis douze étudiants supplémentaires. Ces étudiants avaient les notes d’index les plus basses de leur classe. Dans cet article, nous examinons leurs performances académiques en première année, les comparons à celles d’autres étudiants admis la même année et concluons qu’au moins à la marge, le score d’index des candidats n’est pas un prédicteur précis de la réussite académique. L’auteur recommande aux comités d’admission d’utiliser des critères supplémentaires, au moins pour les candidats marginaux