CDLlCfD FAUNA OF THE ADEA HINTERLAND. 637 



brought into the camp and I could not find a single specimen in any of the 

 barrels. The drinking water -was obtained from a pool about '1 miles to the 

 norih of the camp. This pool was connected with a spring which heie came 

 to the surface when the sand was removed. There were no larva? here of any 

 description. When at Ulnb in May I found A. arabiensis always in two Or 

 three E. P. tents facing the Ulub well, which was !)00 yards away. About ICO 

 yards above the well were two Arab huts, yet this mosquito preferred to come 

 to the tents. I am certain it was the smcke in the tents that kept them away. 

 The Arabs are in the habit of driving the mosquitoes away by a smoking fire. 



Now with regard to malaria prophylaxis in the Hinterland. Though I stayed 

 in many of the places where I knew malrria was being contracted, viz • Nobat, 

 Old and New Camps, Ulub and Sheik Othaman, I never contracted malaria, 

 because I used my mosquito curtain with extreme care, invariably fixing 

 it up early and never going to bed without seeing that there were no 

 mosquitoes inside. I only once took three grains of quinine and can only 

 recollect finding A. arabiensis four times in my curtains in the morning. 

 I would recommend any one going to the Hinterland to provide himself with a 

 good mosquito curtain fitted on to a camp bed and to use this curtain from Sheik 

 Othaman onwards. He should also observe the following points :■ — 



(1) See that there are no holes. 



(2) Have the curtain put up early and be most particular to have all 

 mosquitoes driven out that may have settled on the inside when the curtains 

 were turned up. 



(3) To see that there is no entrance left after he has got into bed. 



(4) To have a piece of cloth 'let in' (about 8 inches broad \ where his 

 arms or legs are likely to touch the curtains when asleep. This is so often 

 forgotten. Camp beds are often cramped for various reasons. It is a good plan 

 to have the rods fixed to the legs and diverging so that the curtain falls away 

 from the bed and allows more space. 



(5) Wear putties when sitting out at night. I have seen anopheles 

 (A. dthali) at Nobat come into the mess tent at dinner time and fly round the 

 lamp. 



(6) Not to hang up dark clothes, as mosquitoes prefer dark objects to rest on. 



(7) Keep all trunks and boxes clobed as they are often means of convey- 

 ing mosquitoes from one place to another. 



Some one will say, this is so troublesome ; but I think it is worth the trouble. 

 Officers often leave their servants to fix up their curtains and I am sorry to say 

 they are then not of much use. A native does not understand why the sahib 

 takes all the trouble, so it is left till late and by that time mosquitoes are 

 already on the wing and easily enter the net and so escape notice. 



In conclusion. I wish to record here my grateful thanks to Mr. Fred. V. 

 Theobald, of the British Museum, for his kind help. 



I trust this paper will be of some use to those serving in the Aden Hinterland 

 and that some will be able to fill up the many gaps. 



14 



