MOSQUITOES OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 



BY 

 T. HOMER COFFIN 



INTRODUCTION. 



These observations were made during June and July, 1903, while the 

 author was a member of the Bahama Expedition of the Geographical Society 

 of Baltimore. Although they cover a period of only two months, the time 

 chosen was probably as favorable for mosquito collecting as any, since the 

 rainfall -was abundant. Many of the islands contain inland marshes of 

 brackish water, and everywhere the weathering of the coral rock, of which the 

 islands are composed, produces pot-holes and shallow depressions which are 

 filled with fresh water during the rainy season. There are few streams of 

 running water, and these are small, draining marshes and low ground. 



The natives, who are dependent on rain water for domestic purposes, use 

 tubs, barrels, and cisterns for holding the supply, and all of these receptacles 

 were found to contain vast numbers of mosquito larva?. In some places the 

 natives have dug down through the coral rock to water, but this well or 

 " spring " water is always more or less brackish to the taste. In order to make 

 the water fit for drinking the natives put it in barrels containing ashes, to 

 soften it, and these barrels were found to contain mosquito larva? also. 



The larvae, which were collected by means of a small dipper, were placed 

 in small specimen bottles and taken on board the ship, where a temporary labo- 

 ratory had been fitted up. Here the larvae were transferred to large breeding 

 jars, and were studied through their life history. Cast skins were either 

 mounted in balsam or preserved in alcohol or formalin. 



Adults were caught in test tubes while in the resting position, each 

 specimen being carefully preserved between plugs of cotton wool. Powdered 

 naphthalene in a small insect gun was used to kill and preserve the specimens. 

 The species of mosquitoes found at the different localities are given below: 



DESCRIPTION OP STATIONS. 



The following is a description of the various stations at which mosquitoes 

 were collected, with a list of the forms taken at each. 



