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Prince (J. A. Le) & Orenstein (A. J.)- Mosquito Control in Panama ; 

 with an introduction by L. 0. Howard, U.S. Bureau of Entomo- 

 logy. New York and London : G. P. Putnam's Sous, 1916, 

 pp. xvii + 335, 100 illust.. Price $2.50 net. 



This book is an account of the work done in Cuba and Panama 

 in controlling mosquitos. The first chapter deals with the campaign 

 at Havana which began in 1901 at a time when relatively httle was 

 known of the habits and life-history of Anopheles. The season of 

 prevalence of Anojjheles in Cuba is much shorter than on the 

 Isthmus, and oiling at irregular intervals gave satisfactory results. 

 The reason why Anopheline eggs are not laid in certain apparently 

 suitable areas, is as yet unexplained. The work on the Isthmus is 

 traced from 1904 and it is stated that the sites selected by the French 

 for housing and hospital accommodation were excellent, considering 

 the hmited knowledge of the aetiology of malaria existing at the time. 

 The magnificent gardens of the hospital at Ancon had however been 

 converted into almost perfect breeding groimds for mosquitos, by the 

 placing of shallow water troughs round all the trees and shrubs as a 

 protection against ants. The local meteorological and topographical 

 conditions, and the changes produced by the canal works and their 

 bearing on the local Anopheline are described. 



The following list of Anophelines of the Canal Zone is given : 

 Anopheles argyrotarsis, 1R,.D. ; A. tarsijiiaculaivs, Goeldi ; A. gorgasi, 

 D.K. ; A. albimanus, Wied. ; A. cruzii, D.K. ; A. ajncimacula, D.K. ; 

 A. pmictiniacula, D.K. ; A. malefactor, D.K.; A. eiseni, Coq. ; 

 A. franciscanus, McCrack. ; A. pseudopunctipemiis, Theo. The 

 commonest species are A. albimanus, A. pseudopunctipennis and 

 A. malefactor, but the predominence of a species varies from season 

 to season and place to place. A. tarsimacidatus appears only to occur 

 near the Atlantic. The commoner species of the canal zone may be 

 divided into three groups : — {a) the white hind-footed group, 

 comprising: A. argyrotarsis, A. albimanus and A. tarsimaculatvs ; 

 (6) the group with uniformly coloured legs, comprising: A. pseudo- 

 punctipennis and A . franciscanus ; and (c) the spotted-leg group, 

 comprising: A. tnalefactm' and A. ajjicimacida. 



The larvae of Stegomyia fasciata and of Anophelines are seldom 

 found in the same water, the former being almost confined 

 to containers near dwellings, in which the latter do not breed on 

 the Isthmus. Anopheline larvae are frequently found in hoof-prints 

 and wheel ruts. The floods of the rainy season flush great numbers 

 of these breeding places and remove obstructions, enabling the water 

 to drain off, but on the other hand depressions become filled, and 

 large breeding areas may be formed. Extensive growths of algae in 

 streams greatly favour mosquitos, and oiling often tends to mat them 

 together; it is thus very important to keep the banks of streams well 

 trimmed and to ensure by every means a steady and rapid flow of 

 water. These and many other causes of the natural or artificial 

 production of breeding areas are discussed in detail. 



In Chapter VI. the habitat and food of adult Anophelines are 

 discussed. The authors state that during the years 1904-1912 not a 

 single case of biting in full sunlight was recorded, though later, at 



