42 Proceedings of the First Convention 



Chairman: Mr. Spencer Miller, South Orange, N. J., of 

 the Lidgerwood Mfg. Co., New York, is the next speaker. 



THE LONG DISTANCE THEORY. 



Mr. Spencer Miller, Engineer. 



Mr. President and Gentlemen: 



I do not wish to say much on the subject assigned me, that 

 is the "Long Distance Theory." I realize fully that it is an im- 

 portant question. The season of 1903 probably gave us more 

 mosquitoes than we have known for years. We had an abnor- 

 mal rainfall, and logically an abnormal mosquito supply. I 

 spent practically the entire season in South Orange and was 

 in the field nearly every day, and made a great many observa- 

 tions on the question of mosquito extermination. It must be 

 remembered that there are over 30 species of mosquitoes in 

 this part of the country, and every one of these different species 

 has different habits, the same as do different birds and fowls. 

 Most of these species are purely domestic, they breed in fresh 

 water, fly short distances and habitually enter houses ; these are 

 the mosquitoes which we have with us very largely. The ma- 

 larial mosquitoes (Anopheles), are one of this species, and the 

 common house mosquito (Culex Pipiens) is probably the most 

 abundant of our domestic mosquitoes. On the other hand, we 

 have breeding in the salt marshes mosquitoes that have the 

 migratory habit. These mosquitoes, with their migratory 

 habits, however, also have a fortunate habit of remaining out- 

 doors. It is most exceptional, and in fact it might be said 

 purely accidental, that they ever enter houses. Dr. John B. 

 Smith has stated that these mosquitoes may travel 20 miles. On 

 August 2, 3, 4 and 5, with a gentle wind blowing directly from 

 the Newark Meadows the mosquitoes reached South Orange, 

 five miles west, and IMorristown, double that distance. At the 

 same time that these mosquitoes were in our fields in 

 great abundance, they were also in the fields in Mor- 

 ristown. In both places the people said they were not both- 

 ered with mosquitoes indoors. I know that the salt marsh mos- 

 quitoes have been found breeding in fresh water, but taking 

 all the circumstances into consideration, I am inclined to believe 

 that these mosquitoes did come from the salt marshes. Even 



