NATURAL ENEMIES OF MOSQUITOES 163 



fins, enjoys greater freedom from molestation. The sun- 

 fish, he says, abounds in every pond and stream where 

 fish are plentiful, excepting cold mountain-streams. 

 Every aquarium dealer in any large city will be able to 

 supply the common sunfish. Mr. Seal further notes that 

 the common sunfish is the most voracious of the smaller 

 fishes. It has a larger mouth than the top-minnow 



<^. 



Fig. 47. — Coniiiion .Siuitish or " Piinipkin-seed " ; reduced. (After Jor- 

 diiu and Everniaun.) 



and is wholly carnivorous, whereas the top -minnow is 

 omnivorous. On mature consideration, he gives prefer- 

 ence to the sunfish as most completely filling the bill. 



There are other aquatic vertebrates, besides fish, 

 which destroy mosquito larvae, I am not sure that tad- 

 poles eat them — there seems to be some doubt on that 

 point — but my friend, Mr. Albert Koebele, informs me 

 that he imported into Hawaii from California a large 



