102 DRAGON FLIES VS. MOSQUITOES. 



when the hind wind prevails at some of the summering 

 resorts along the shores of this State the terrible hordes 

 of this persecutor depopulate the hotels and cottages. 

 The annals of travel record the wide distribution and un- 

 failing activity of this abominable tormentor. The genus 

 Culex belongs to the order of Diptera, family Culicidse, 

 which contains only a small number of genera, but a large 

 number of species. The genus Culex is distributed over 

 the entire globe. 



The name Mosquito has been used in popular parlance 

 for the genus Culex, and derived from the Spanish, signi- 

 fying little fly. The vernacular of many nations varies 

 exceedingly in the designation of these insects. In France 

 they are known as Cousins; in Germany as Schnacken, 

 Stichmiicke, Singmiicke, and Gelse; in England as Gnats; 

 in America and hot countries as Mosquitoes (sometimes 

 spelled Mosqnites, Moustiques, Mousquites, or Mosquilles); 

 \ and in the Antilles as Maringouins. 



' Upward of thirty species are found in North America. 

 Culex ciliatus, a large species found in the Atlantic States, 

 bites very severely, but fortunately is comparatively rare, 

 and does not appear in swarms as Culex tseniorhynchus 

 (C. damnosus Say), which invades our brackish ahd"~salt 

 water marshes. Although the mosquitoes are present all 

 summer, there are four distinct broods in the Middle 

 States, which only swarm at intervals of one month. Ac- 

 cording to my friend Mr. W. T. Davis, the first brood 

 makes its appearance in the latter days of May or early in 

 June ; the second, third, and fourth broods appear early 

 in July, August, and September. 



In the Arctic region, where the larvBe of the mosquito 

 constitute the principal food of the trouts that inhabit the 



