REPORT ON MOSQUITOES. 437 



In 1903 I had Mr. Brehme survey the area from Sanely Hook 

 point to the mainland at North Long Branch, both shores of the 

 Navesink River and both shores of the Shrewsbury so far as any 

 salt marsh could be found. 



The shores of Sandy Hook Bay from the Atlantic Highlands 

 to the Navesink River are abrupt and offer no marsh breeding 

 places. Both shores of the Navesink are equally safe and the few 

 islands and marsh areas in and along it have no mosquito pools. 



Sandy Hook extends nearly five miles into the ocean, parallel 

 with the rest of the coast and, for four miles, nearly, there is 

 more or less salt marsh on the western or bay shore of the strip. 

 Practically the entire mosquito supply of Sandy Hook — not a 

 small one by the way — is bred within the limits of the govern- 

 ment reservation and this fact was pointed out to the command- 

 ing officer and post surgeon. It was by courtesy of the com- 

 mander that permission was obtained to survey the reservation, 

 and it was found that the worst breeding place on the strip was 

 within a short distance of the hospital. It was indicated that all 

 this would be attended to, and at any rate there is not the slightest 

 necessity for a single salt marsh mosquito on the Sandy Hook 

 strip. The places that occur, though very bad and prolific breed- 

 ers, can be easily drained or filled. 



This leaves the Shrewsbury and its various inland extensions 

 like Pleasure Bay, Blackberry Cove, etc., as the only source of 

 salt marsh species for the Monmouth shore. Eliminate these 

 and the whole territory is beyond the reach of salt marsh mi- 

 grations. 



Having determined these points, reports were presented to the 

 associations concerned and permanent work was urged. During 

 the winter the project assumed concrete form and, in February, 

 Mr. Brehme was again sent over the ground to lay out, roughly, 

 a ditching plan to clean the breeding territory. 



This rough plan was submitted to Mr. Wagner, who went over 

 the territory as engineer and approved it. Based upon this plan 

 estimates were obtained and contracts awarded. Mr. Winship's 

 history touches upon this, and so does Mr. Brehme's report which 

 also follows. Mr. Brehme, by the bye, was assigned to represent 

 the office and see that the work was well done, since both associ- 

 ations insisted upon its approval by me before making payments. 



Within the treated territory the work was completely success- 

 ful and there were practically no marsh mosquitoes on Monmouth 

 Beach or Rumson Neck during the summer. There are some 

 upland breeding places yet present on Monmouth Beach and vi- 

 cinity : but these are being hunted out and safe-gTiarded as fast as 

 possible. 



