REPORT ON MOSQUITOES. 417 



be leveled down filling- up the depressions, and the breeding holes 

 in the higher parts of the island should be graded out of exist- 

 ence. Most of the danger spots can be disposed of in this way 

 and w^hat remains, in the salt marsh, can be ditched or filled as 

 seems most convenient. There is, undoubtedly, a future for this 

 beach, but so long as the present conditions exist, few persons 

 are likely to consider its advantages as against the necessity for 

 fighting mosquitoes. The sum that wall be required to clean out 

 this entire island is small in comparison with the amounts that 

 have been spent in preliminary work in other places. 



The islands in Eagle Bay and on the Wading Thoroughfare 

 have been inspected by Mr. Brehme and found to be safe. 



Island Beach, two miles in length, and the territory lying be- 

 tween it and the mainland have not been inspected. This is the 

 only blank from Sandy Hook to Cape May, but judging from 

 the rest of the coast, Island Beach is probably much like Brig- 

 antine, and most of the marshv islands are safe. 



C. GREAT BAY AND MULLICA RIVER. 



From this marsh area extending on both sides of Great Bay, 

 along the mainland edge of Little Egg Harbor, up the Mullica 

 River, up the Bass River and up the Wading River, come the 

 greatest of the mosquito swarms that overwhelm the New Jersey 

 Pines. I have driven from Tuckerton to the edge of the marsh 

 opposite Great Bay and have encountered swarms of the insects, 

 have walked across the marsh in comparative comfort to the 

 shores of the bay ; have skirted the edge of the bay and tramped 

 the marsh on the Mullica River shore, finding swarms ready to 

 attack ; have walked from the Bass River landing to New Gretna 

 accompanied by a cloud that was kept off by citronello alone ; and 

 have driven from New Gretna to Pleasantville, always in a mob 

 of mosquitoes. I do not believe anyone can have an appreciation 

 of what an abundance of mosquitoes really means until he has 

 covered this territory. 



Late in July I sent Mr. Brehme into this same territory for a 

 somewhat closer survey and he wrote me on reaching Tuckerton 

 from Atlantic City, by stage: "What did I ever do to you that 

 you sent me over such a confounded road. We did not use the 

 horses to pull the stage; the Culex soUicitans did that; their 

 pressure on the stage made it run all right. My newspaper was 

 covered with blood from killing them. But wc are here and will 

 stand the battle." 



27 MOS 



