CAN THE MOSQUITO BE EXTERMINATED? 



Natural science lias taught the Avorld modesty in its 

 judgments. Many things thought impossible have been 

 done, and the imaginary achievements of the genii and 

 magicians of earlier ages are the workaday deeds of mod- 

 ern times. Therefore one may well hesitate to say that 

 the extermination of the mosquito is impossible; yet the 

 facts seem to point that way. The mosquito is an ancient 

 inhabitant of this globe of ours, being found among the 

 fossil insects, and is as catholic in its distribution as vener- 

 able in its descent. Having thus far held a place among 

 the myriad creatures of our globe, it is likely to continue 

 its generation. Let us, then, accept it as inevitable that 

 the mosquito cannot be exterminated. 



Can the mosquito pest be mitigated? That is quite 

 another question, which has just been raised by a phil- 

 anthropic gentleman with strong scientific tastes. Dr. 

 Lamborn, who has recently offered a prize for a prelim- 

 inary study of the habits of dragon flies, with a view to 

 their propagation as destroyers of mosquitoes, has found 

 the ready ear of the American nation. His manifesto was 

 a "touch of nature" Avhieh has proved our New World 

 "kin," for, alas! there are few portions of this beau- 

 tiful domain where the mosquito has not piped her war 

 song and drawn blood from human victims. I am con- 

 strained by truth, despite the seeming discourtesy, to say 



(137) 



