6 Second Report on Economic Zoology. 



over with board lids or with fine perforated zinc covers, the former in 

 preference. 



Instructions being given to the ruen to see they are always kept closed. 



(2) The o^•erflow (No. 4, paragraph 2) should be either allowed to How 

 more freely away or drained off with pipes. 



(8) The small stagnant pieces of water on the Liorders of the Forest 

 and just inside might easily be filled in with rubbish, and also the stagnant 

 pieces oi; the Common, or the latter might be drained. 



(4) The ponds in the meadow below the Hall, and the two larger clean 

 pieces of water on the Common should be treated with paraffin as soon as 

 any signs of the Gide.t larvae are seen, and also any other pieces of 

 stagnant water that cannot now be filled in. 



The method of treating with ])araffin is appended. 



(5) Observations should either be made by some com])etent person or 

 some intelligent man in the locality to find out when the lar\a3 occur, 

 and then the paraffin treatment ado])ted. 



Although there arc several widely scattered places likely to prove 

 suitable breeding-grounds for this mosquito, the cost of treatment would 

 not be great, and if the presence of the larvffi is noted and treatment 

 carried out then in conjunction with the recommendations 1 give regard- 

 ing the artificial collections of water, I see no reason why this pest should 

 not be completely stamped out. 



Destruction of Culicid Larvj^;. 



1. The best culicicide to use is paraflin. 



2. It is best applied to pools by dipping a bundle of rags attached 

 to the end of a stick into the paraffin and dabbing the surface every 

 here and there so as to produce a thin film all over the water. 



3. The pools should be treated once a week during the time the 

 larvae are found in the water. 



4. Do not be too sparing with the paraffin — an even thin film 

 over the whole pool is necessary. This film needs to be applied to 

 all the small puddles around the larger ones, as larvie may often be 

 found in very small collections of water. 



I have examined the Mosquitoes taken around Higham Hall by 

 Mr. Lowe and find the majority belong to two species, (1) the Common 

 Gnat or Household Mosquito {Culex pipiens, L.), and (2) the "Wood 

 Mosquito {Culex nemorosvs, L.). Both these bite, but especially the 

 latter. The common gnat breeds in rain barrels, tanks, cisterns, etc., and 

 can be easily destroyed ; the larva; of this species were found by Mr. Lowe 

 in numbers in such places near your house. Gidex neynorosus breeds in 

 almost any water, even in lakes, so that probably fresh lots might come 

 from the lake in the park ; the smaller pools in the forest are just the 

 pools for them to breed in, and by treating tliem with paraffin I think 

 the nuisance will be abated. Should this not be so, the edges of the 

 lake must be paraffined in still weather where the larvae occur. It would 



