Oct., '06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 281 



The periodic visits in houses some distance away from the 

 canal bed was a peculiarity observed in this species ; these were 

 more prevalent for a few days or a week, and more particularly 

 so on some days just before rain, when they seemed more 

 active in their efforts in trying to get into the houses. Their 

 hibernating as well as abode during activity was found in old 

 shops, pig stables, spring houses, barns, etc. 



In the breeding and hibernating place reproduction (see PI. 

 IX), we find A. pimctipennis the most common species of the 

 Anopheles, which I have found breeding in rain barrels. From 

 observations in neglected yards I infer that these forms breed 

 more in such places than is generally admitted. In the yard 

 illustrated they were found in rain barrels and began to breed 

 in July, lasting until the end of September, being most prolific 

 during the month of August, e.g. in 1904, the highest number 

 in a single barrel was four generations, aggregating upwards 

 of 200 A. punctipennis larvae. The egg deposits have been 

 from six to fifty and upward of sixty. 



THE NATURAL ENEMY. 



The dragonflies I have noticed as one of the most import- 

 ant factors in the destruction of mosquitoes in rural districts, 

 but not in cities. I have found several species of mites on the 

 Anopheles mentioned, as well as Chelanops sanborni and other 

 pseudoscorpions. In the larvae the protozoa were of much 

 annoyance in the rain barrel generations, some of them being 

 literally covered with Vorticella so that their movements were 

 much checked. They were most numerous on the first three 

 abdominal segments where they were out of reach from the 

 larva's mouth brushes, and it required quite an effort for the 

 larvae to keep them from occluding the air tube. The beauti- 

 ful flower-like clusters of Vorticella are not the only infusor- 

 ians, since numbers of Parameecia and other animalcules were 

 constantly hovering around them, and even at their mouth 

 with safety, when particles of dust, etc., were eaten with dis- 

 patch by the larvae. 



One of the most important points in control work on mos- 

 quitoes is to distinguish between the various species of larvae, 



