466 MOSQUITO-STRICKEN COUNTRIES. 



to all wild countries where water is abundant, especially 

 where there is much ground of a swampy nature, doubtless 

 because there is nothing to disturb the hatching of the 

 larvae. At all events it is certain that the movement 

 of human population, with their attendant domestic 

 cattle, etc., has the effect of greatly minimizing this 

 plague, but still it is not enough in itself to extinguish 

 it, for many large cities in tropical lands are still 

 mosquito-stricken, and gauze curtains to enclose beds 

 at night continue to be an absolute necessity. In the 

 primeval woods, however, in the long grass prairies, 

 and on alluvial flats along the edges of rivers, and 

 the inland waters in wild or semi-wild countries, the 

 nuisance of flies assumes quite the proportions of a 

 veritable plague, and renders them the bane of the 

 fisherman's existence, for wherever there is water, 

 there these insect pests swarm in the greatest 

 abundance. 



The question of insect pests of various sorts is one 

 on which volumes could easily be written, therefore we 

 must be very brief in treating of such matters here, 

 and shall confine ourselves to pointing out what steps 

 the fisherman should take to protect himself as far as 

 possible from their annoyance. * 



In the first place we may state that there is no 

 ointment or lotion which, so far as our own experience 

 goes, is of the least service in protecting exposed 

 hands and face. The number of nostrums that have 

 been proposed as useful are endless, and we have 

 made trial of many, but we regret to say we found 

 none of them serviceable. The attacks of flies still 



* We had written a chapter upon "Insect Pests" as seen in wild 

 countries, but the great length of this work has obliged us to omit it. 



