264 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 7 



and doing the work with funds appropriated by the state. One of 

 the provisions of this act enabled municipalities active in the abate- 

 ment of salt marsh mosciuito breeding to obtain state aid. The 

 entomologist was appointed by the director of the Experiment Station 

 as his executive officer and Doctor Smith thus came to be in full 

 charge of the w^ork. 



In some ways the work has shown certain defects in the law which 

 must soon be modified to fit present conditions. Since its enactment 

 the work of ditching has demonstrated the need of more police power 

 and the enactment of a law (1912) creating county mosquito exter- 

 mination commissions has brought about a relation for which there 

 is nothing specific in the 1906 law to provide. 



Inland or Local Mosquito Work 



Doctor Smith's studies showed that the really important fresh 

 water breeding species of mosquito could be roughly thrown into 

 four groups: the house mosquito, the malarial, the swamp mosquito 

 and the woodland pool mosquito. 



The house mosquito and the species composing the malarial group 

 winter in the adult stage in protected places, showing a strong prefer- 

 ence for the cellars of dwellings as a place for hibernation. Eggs are 

 laid on any stagnant or partly stagnant water and one brood follows 

 another. These mosquitoes breed in all sorts of pools, but the mala- 

 rial group is usually to be found in cleaner water. The larvae of this 

 group are frequently found along the grass-overgrowoi banks of streams. 

 The house mosquito breeds wherever the water stands long enough 

 for it to come through. Lot, garbage dump and roadside pools, cess- 

 pools, sewer catch basins, rain barrels and roof gutters are com- 

 mon breeding places for this species. 



The principal swamp mosquito species — Aedes sylvestris Theob. — 

 passes the winter in the egg stage at the bottom of pools and the 

 adults are on the wing throughout the season. While not a migrant 

 like the principal salt marsh species, a mile or two is easy and five 

 miles are not beyond its powers. While such areas as the Great 

 Piece Meadows of northern New Jersey produce this species in enor- 

 mous numbers, the great cedar swamps of South Jersey breed few of 

 this or anj^ other species. 



The important members of the woodland group winter in the egg 

 state on the mud or submerged debris. The larvae appear very early 

 and the adults are the earfiest of the really troublesome mosquitoes 

 to get on the wing. They are most abundant during the early part 

 of the season and cease to be noticeable as it progresses. 



The Coquilletlidia perturbans Wlk., is at once the hardest biter and 



