BSERVATIOXS ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF 

 THE COMMON MOSQUrrO. 



I>LA.TES II. &o III. 



By W. R. COLLEDGE. 



(Read hcfon' the Boijal Socu'ti/ of Queensland, June 17tli, 1899.) 



I HA.VE pleasure in bringing before your notice some facts 

 regarding that much-abused insect — -the Mosquito. It is difficult 

 to find in Australian literature, or society, anyone who has 

 anything good to say on his behalf. Our Scottish poet sings, 

 " Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn." 

 But what shall we say of his treatment of this little insect 

 from its point of view ? If learned mosquitoes meet to discuss 

 ethical questions in their own royal societies, they probably have 

 grave doubts as to the wisdom of the Creator in formino- a 

 creature like man so viciously disposed to themselves. But, 

 notwithstanding all the ill-treatment received from mankind, he 

 manifests a most Christian spirit of friendliness, and loses no 

 opportunity of forming the most intimate acquaintance with his 

 most deadly enemy. As my papec is mainly intended to diffuse 

 information to non-scientific hearers, I have sought to divest it 

 of all technical terms using, where possible, only such language 

 as the ordinary hearer can clearly understand. The word 

 mosquito comes from the Spanish, and simply means " little 

 fly." Its first visible starting point is the egg, for the insect 

 does not bring forth her young alive, but she lays eggs. The 

 egg is in shape not unlike a miniature sailor's marline-spike, 

 one end rounded and tapering gradually down to the other, so 

 that it assumes a conical form. In fig. 1 two separate eggs are 

 seen on the left side. At the centre of the thick round end is 

 a little point slightly projecting. This is really a neat little cap 

 of beautiful structure, to which I shall refer presently. 



