ESSAY OX THE DESTRUCTIOX OF THE 



MOSQUITO. 



PREFATORY XOTE, 



The following essay must be regarded as a provisional 

 and introductory treatise. It is quite impossible to cover 

 the entire ground, or even part of it, with details of ex- 

 periments and observations such as would place any one's 

 conclusions beyond criticism or reversal. 



The short time given for its preparation has not per- 

 mitted me to make the experiments necessary for arriving 

 at any very original suggestions, though I have been led 

 to notice in the course of its writing how unoccupied the 

 ground is, and what interesting questions it opens. 



The discussion of the house fly as a mischievous nui- 

 sance, and of methods for its destruction, has been almost 

 abandoned by me, but I have made a short separate notice 

 which at present incorporates the most that now occurs to 

 me that can be said on this subject. 



The far more important weight to be given to the prob- 

 lem of freeing our communities of the mosquito has re- 

 ceived recognition, and this essay is in consequence almost 

 entirely devoted to its discussion. 



It will be seen that I have furnished throughout the 

 essay a series of original observations, which I regard as 

 useful contributions to science. 



(99) 



