75 



Anoi)hclinc breeding. The latter may be divided into methods directed 

 mainly aj^ainst A. liuilowi and against A. mnhrosiis. 



Notes were made on the relation of Anopheline breeding to mangroves 

 in view of unpublished observations of Strickland's on this subject. 

 1 1 appears that it is not the question of mangrove by itself that governs 

 the presence of Anophelincs, but the question of the salinity of the 

 water. The observations hitherto made indicate that the belt of 

 mangrove and the belt of Anopheline distribution cut each other in 

 the estuary of the river, and this point possibly depends on the salinity 

 of the water above and below it. Further work is needed, and should 

 be controlled by the examination of the salinity of the water from each 

 breeding-place. 



Miller (D.). Report on the Mosquito Investigation carried out in 

 the North Auckland Peninsula o£ New Zealand during the Summer 

 of 1918-19. Part I.— iV.Z. Dept. Health. Wellington, Pubn. no. 3, 

 1920, 38 pp.. 33 iigs., 7 maps. 



The object of this mosquito survey of the North Auckland Peninsula 

 was to ascertain whether Stegomyia fasciata {Aedes calopus) or any 

 malaria-carrying Anophelines existed there, or whether conditions 

 favourable to them are present. 



Prior to this investigation, the only mosquitos recorded from New 

 Zealand were ■.— Cull celsa albirostris, Macq., Culex pervigilans. Berg, 

 Taeniorhvnchus acer, Theo., T. iracundus, Wlk., and Uranotaenia 

 argvropus, Wlk. The first three are also known from Australia. 

 Additional species were found, including Ochlerotatus notoscriptits and 

 one which will form a new genus and probably subfamily. These will 

 be dealt with in a second part of this report. 



The innumerable sluggish, weed-filled streams and swamps constitute 

 the permanent sources of mosquito infestation in the peninsula, but 

 the progress of agriculture is converting many of them into temporary 

 breeding-places. In places where there are no apparent collections 

 of water, the leaf-bases of epiphytic plants and the stems of dead 

 tree-ferns are a source of mosquito propagation, as they retain 

 sufhcient water to form excellent breeding-places. The innumerable 

 holes left by gum-diggers in kauri-gum lands and the stretches of country 

 formed of outcropping volcanic rocks are temporary areas of infesta- 

 tion. Though lakes and lagoons are common, no mosquitos breed in 

 them, owing to natural enemies such as Notonecta sp. (water-boatman), 

 dragon-fly larvae, etc. However, along the margins of extensive 

 sheets of water where depressions filled with soakage occur, mosquito 

 larvae abound. Catch-basins, gully-traps, tanks, water-troughs, old 

 tins and bottles, roof-gutters, etc., are most important sources of 

 artificial infestation invariably found in towns and cities. 



The species most common in the peninsula are Culex pervigilans and 

 Ochlerotatus notoscriptus, the former being more generally distributed 

 than the latter, which was restricted almost entirely to Auckland 

 City. Both were frequently observed breeding in the same receptacle, 

 the former being nocturnal and inflicting painful wounds, and the 

 latter diurnal and not very troublesome. 



From this investigation it may be stated that S. fasciata does not 

 occur in the North Auckland Peninsula. There was some mdication 

 that a certain unknown Anopheline occurred at Kaitaia. There is also 

 ,a vague possibility of the occurrej]ce of a mal^ria-carrymg mosquito, 



(2894) ^ 2 



