NATURAL REMEDIES. 115 



were considerably reduced. I had a similar experience last 

 summer at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, where the mosquitoes 

 are always abundant. Last season immense numbers of 

 Diplax berenice appeared and but few mosquitoes were to 

 be found. Mr. W. T. Davis met with the same fortune 

 at Perth Amboy, Long Lsland. From Dr. Lamborn's 

 circular it is also seen that ho has been struck by the same 

 coincidence. Mr. Pryer (Journ. IST, Branch Poy. Asiatic 

 Soc, IV., pages 75 and 76) also noticed great abundance 

 of dragon flies in Japan, where they seemed to keep down 

 the numbers of mosquitoes. 



Breeding Grounds, Habits, etc. 



The breeding grounds of the mosquito and dragon fly 

 are similar in some respects. The larvse and nymphae 

 are found in sunny places, shallow and especially still 

 pools, and in swampy areas. But they are different in 

 this respect, that the dragon fly cannot be raised in wa- 

 ters of deep or shady woods, having a propensity for the 

 sunlit areas, both aquatic and terrestrial. 



The metamorphoses of the dragon fly, passing as it 

 does through an aquatic existence, adapt it possibly for 

 contest with the mosquito life in the larval stage of both, 

 though on this point more precise information is needed. 

 The voracity of both larva and nympha of the dragon fly 

 is well known. It has been asserted by Mr. L. Biro 

 (Rov. Lapok. I., pages 251-253) that "the larvre of some 

 species of dragon fly was destructive in the piscicultural 

 establishments in Hungary. Fifty thousand young fish 

 were placed in a pond in spring and in September only 

 fifty-four remained, and there were immense quantities of 



