MOSQUITO FISH—JORDAN 363 
kind of fish that makes mosquito killing its chief business, which 
enters on it with alacrity and which will not and can not harm other 
more choice kinds of fish. In southeastern Asia is a group known 
as Betta, little perchlike fishes, skillful as mosquito devourers, but 
quarrelsome and destructive to other small or young fishes. 
The desired traits are found in perfection in the “top minnows ” 
or “ Gambusinos ” of the genus Gambusia Poey. Of this genus there 
are numerous species in warmer parts of America. Most of them be- 
long to coast streams of eastern Mexico. Two of them, very much 
alike, range through our South Atlantic and Gulf States. One of 
these, Gambusia patruelis, is found from Florida to Texas in slug- 
gish streams of the Gulf States and northward to southern Illinois. 
Another, Gambusia holbrooki, extends from. Georgia northward, in 
lowland streams, swamps, and rice ditches of the South Atlantic 
States, and ranging to the lake of the Dismal Swamp in Virginia. 
A third, Gambusia affinis, belongs to the Rio Grande region, and is 
now regarded as distinct from Gambusia patruelis, though the struc- 
tural differences are small, and in their habits and food all three 
are doubtless alike. In Cuba, such littles fishes are called “ Gambu- 
sinos,” hence their scientific name Gambusia. When an angler re- 
turns without fish, the Cubans say, he has been “ fishing for Gam- 
businos.” 
The United States Public Health Service has lately published a 
valuable series of experiments undertaken about Augusta, Ga., by 
Samuel F. Hildebrand, of the United States Bureau of Fisheries. 
This is entitled, “A Study of the Top Minnow (Gambusia hol- 
brookt) in Relation to Mosquito Control.” 
Old travelers may remember that Hawaii, 20 and more years ago 
was cursed by mosquitoes. In my first visit to the islands (1900), 
large ones brought from Alaska by whalers in their water tubs, in 
the days when Hawaii was their chosen winter resort, ruled the 
islands by day, and a smaller form, probably from California, was 
heard at night. Neither of these carry malaria, but both were ex- 
cessively annoying. 
Mark Twain, at the old Hawaiian Hotel felt this grievance, and 
in a characteristic way set out to remedy it. Everyone in Honolulu 
then slept under a mosquito canopy and each night some of the 
smaller insects crept through the meshes. Mark waited until all 
the mosquitoes came in through the netting and then slipped out and 
slept on the floor. 
But even this shrewd device often failed. At last, in 1904, the 
City of Honolulu (knowing the present writer to be a fish sharp), 
sent a credit of about $1,500 (of which about $600 was used) asking 
me to discover and send to the islands a fish that would really eat 
mosquitoes. 
