MOSQUITOES AND THEIR EXTERMINATION. 461 



Fig. 10. Profile of a Malf, 

 Culez Mosquito. Three times 

 larger than life. 



They may easily be distinguished from the common or Culex family 

 of mosquitoes by the spots upon their wings, and also l)y the position 

 which they take when at rest (see Fig. 8). 



Notice the angle at which the insect shown in Fig. 8 stands out 

 from the wall. Compare this with Fig. 9. It will also be seen that 



the proboscis, or 'stinger,' and the body of 

 Anopheles form a straight line, while the 

 Culex is rather humpbacked. The other 

 Anopheles, maculipennis, does not stand out 

 from the wall at quite such an angle as does 

 punctipennis; but like the latter its pro- 

 boscis and body form a straight line, and 

 the angle formed by the insect when at rest 

 is much greater than that of the Culex. 



Notice how different is the resting posi- 

 tion of the mosquito in Fig. 9 from that of 

 Anopheles in Fig. 8. 



The male mosquito (see Fig. 10) never 

 bites. He may be easily distinguished by 

 his large and feathered antennge and palpi, which are very much more 

 prominent than those of the female. 



There is another mosquito, Stegomyia fasciata, which in form and 

 habits closely resembles Culex, in which genus, until quite recently, 

 it was classed. Stegomyia fasciata is the yellow fever mosquito, and 

 it only inhabits the warmer portions of this country. It is common 

 in most of our southern states and is seldom seen north of the Caro- 

 linas. It is easily distinguished from other mosquitoes by the con- 

 spicuous silvery white stripes upon its thorax and abdomen, and by the 

 white bands upon its legs. 



Fortunately for mankind, nature herself provides many energetic 

 workers who are constantly doing their part towards holding in check 

 these insect pests. Foremost among these natural enemies are many 

 of the insectivorous birds, which daily destroy many thousands of 

 mosquitoes. The swallows, the fly-catchers, the night hawks and the 

 whip-poor-wills, all are insect exterminators, whose good work in this 

 connection is seldom taken into account. The bat is also an efficient 

 mosquito hunter; so too are the dragon flies which frequent the shores 

 of ponds and pools where mosquitoes breed. 



Besides these enemies of the adult mosquito, which may properly 

 be called their 'foes of the air,' mosquitoes have other adversaries 

 which destroy them in their early stages. These may be termed their 

 'foes of the water.' 



It often happens that we can find no 'wigglers' in small ponds in 

 which we would naturally expect to find mosquitoes breeding. In 



