12 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



spread of malaria, though none are mentioned by Theobald as 

 having been proved to be hosts for the malarial parasite. Much 

 more work remains to be done on the Australian mosquitoes. 



The Anopheles occurring in the neighbourhood of Melbourne 

 seems to be identical with one of these three species — A. 

 annulipes, Walker. The agreement is very close, and the white 

 spots on the wings are very characteristic. 



The presence of Anopheles in Victoria, even supposing it to 

 be a true malaria-carrying species, fortunately does not imply an 

 immediate outbreak of that dreaded disease. First it is 

 necessary for the mosquito itself to be infected with the sporozoan 

 before it can transmit it to man. There is always a possibility of 

 this infection, however, for malaria patients frequently visit 

 Melbourne from the hotter parts of the continent. 



Should malaria become endemic here it may prove, for the 

 mosquito-tortured residents of certain suburbs, a blessing in 

 disguise. For, undoubtedly, it would result in a great diminution 

 in the numbers of that troublesome insect. This would not 

 be a very difficult matter if the ruling bodies and individual 

 residents set themselves to accomplish it. 



First, all standing water, if possible during the mosquito 

 season, would be drained — an easy matter here in a normal 

 summer. Then permanent water, pools, lagoons, dams, tanks, 

 and reservoirs would be stocked with small tish, water boatmen, 

 and beetles. Dragon-flies, frogs, toads, insectivorous birds, bats, 

 and other natural enemies would be protected and encouraged. 

 Lastly, all low-lying, swampy ground and puddles would be filled 

 or treated with kerosene, thus preventing the female from laying 

 eggs and the larvae and pupse from breathing. 



The very small amount of water that will suffice to maintain 

 great numbers of larvae and pupse is surprising. Recently I took 

 seven egg-rafts of Culex from the hoof-print of a horse. An 

 instance is recorded where the eggs, larvae, and pupae in a water- 

 barrel were counted and numbered over 17,000, and a fortnight 

 later the same barrel yielded over 19,000. 



Howard, " Mosquitoes," mentions a case where, all the water 

 being kerosened, even to the drinking water, Anopheles were 

 found breeding in a flower vase on the dinner table. A careless 

 servant, when putting in fresh flowers, had neglected to change 

 the water. 



To enable members to distinguish the various individuals 

 readily all stages in the life-history of Culex — egg-rafts, larvae, 

 pupae, and adults — are exhibited, as well as the larvae, pupae, and 

 adults of Anopheles. 



Let us hope that with prompt and vigorous treatment of the 

 surface waters, this discovery may be followed by the practical 

 extinction of a veritable pest. 



