Reports to various Correspondents. 7 



be advisable to have the water treated several times at a week's interval, 

 as I Jiud Giilex are breeding very rapidly this month. 



Three other species have occurcod in the collection from this locality, 

 namely— (1) Culex diversus, Theobald ; (2) (hilpx cantans, Meigen ; 

 (3) Grahhamia dormlis, Mei^en. 



A sinsrle specimen of each of these species only occnrred. All three are 

 vicious biters. We know that CuJex cantans breeds in small pools, and 

 I expect the other two do also. The chief pests are, however, evidently 

 Gulex pipiens and Culex nemoroms, especially the latter. 



Mr. F. Lowe lias since been employed by Lady Henry Somerset 

 to superintend the destruction of these pests, and the reports of his 

 visits to Woodford are here appended. 



"Acting on instructions given by Mr. F. V. Theobald after his 

 inspection of the estate, three visits were made at int'irvals of three weeks 

 from June 2r)tli of this year to carry out in detail the plan of campaign 

 against these hies, as arranged by Mr. Tiieobald. 



" On the first visit — a very hot day — attention was given to the 

 artificial collections of water in the gardens and stable-yard, tanks, rain- 

 water butts, gullies, greenhouse tanks, ditch, etc. 



" Each was examined with the utmost care for the eggs, larvre and 

 pupag of mosiputoes by dipping with a wide-mouthed glass beaker, 

 skimming imd straining. In one only — a rain-water butt containing 

 about six inches of putrid water and (juite a foot of sludge— did T find 

 any of the pests — the larvse of the common Gulex pipiem, in all stages 

 of growth, and in such numbers as to blacken the surface of the water. 

 After taking samples of these larvtB, the butt was emptied on the path, 

 and when the water drie 1 up the residue was shovelled into the rubbish 

 pit. Of the larvte taken away, one only survived the journey home, the 

 remainder being killed, I believe, by the disturbance of the water caused 

 by the jolting of tlie train. 



" The large uncovered tank in the stable-yard : An exhaustive 

 inspection of this resulted in no Culicids, bat numerous ' Blood Worms,' 

 the larvae of Chironomus. The water was run off and sludge removed, 

 tank scrubbed and flushed out, overhanging ivy cut away and a match- 

 boarding tarred-lid fitted to keep out the flies. The tank is to remain 

 empty for the present, as any water required can be obtained from the 

 standpipe. 



" Gullies were cleaned out and treated with a liberal supply of paraffin. 



" Greenhouse tanks : no aquatic larval or pupal stages of the pest. 

 Cleaned out and the water covered with a film of paraffin. Xo harm will 

 arise from this when dipping for water, if the bucket or watering-can is 

 plunged well below the surface. 



"Xo Culicid larv!^ could be found in the ditch which drains off 

 overflow from tub in orchard, etc. Well paraffined. Recommendation — 

 should be drained away with pipes. 



" In beating the hedge at the side of the ditch in the orchard, I set 

 up, and netted, a large female Gulex nemorosns — which I thought at the 

 time wa^ a specimen of the rare Gulex diversus, Theobald — so I continued 



