A MUSICAL BURGLAR. 8/ 



tongue (t), the two large jaws (lj} and the two small 

 jaws (sj). These jaws are not really such, but are 

 more like fangs. The upper ones, indeed, convey 

 poison into the wound, as do the fangs of the rattle- 

 snake ; and this poison dilutes the blood and makes it 

 flow to the tongue through which it is drawn into the 

 stomach. The lower jaws are 

 barbed at the end, that they may 

 work back and forth like saws. 



These mouth parts are spread 

 out in the figure, to show them 

 more distinctly. When the -mos- 

 quito bites they are pressed to- Fig " ia Mouth part8 ' 

 gether in the upper lip, making a beak like an awl. 

 When our tuneful robber proposes to take blood, she 

 discourses her music in circling flights about an un- 

 easy head, until she finds a favorable spot. There she 

 lights, gracefully setting down one foot after another, 

 and at once thrusts through the skin her compound 

 awl, sheath, poison fangs, saws and tongue and 

 draws her meal of blood. 



Some have supposed her song to be caused by the 

 motion of her wings, which make fifty vibrations in a 

 second. Others have thought the song to be produced 

 by the insect blowing through her breathing tubes. 

 Whatever its cause, the mosquito's tune would be a 

 charming one were it not associated with instruments 

 of torture and a blood-thirsty tongue. 



There are in this country over thirty varieties of mos- 

 quitoes. Some are small and others are quite large. 

 Some live wholly on vegetable juices, while others have 

 a passion for animal fluids. The largest, and perhaps 



