mosquitoes are resting, but that on his blue serge 

 clothes there may be dozens. He will have noted, 

 too, that outside his mosquito net it is on the shady 

 side that the mosquitoes remain longest, until from 

 here also they fly away as the fierce sun rises. 



He will have noted, too, that Anophelines as well 

 as Culicines have a predilection for certain smells. Old 

 boots and blacking attract them strongly, and the 

 leather of a saddle room is their favourite haunt. 

 Anophelines, too, much prefer the odoriferous skin of 

 the native to that of the European, as experiments 

 made by us in Sierra Leone clearly shewed. 



LENGTH OF LIFE OF MOSQUITOES 



The length of life of mosquitoes, under suitable 

 conditions, is probably considerable ; several weeks 

 to months.* In captivity they may, if suitably housed 

 and constantly fed, be kept alive for days, weeks, and 

 even months. A mosquito kept some time in captivity 

 becomes infirm, and readily falls into the water whilst 

 laying its eggs. It also finds difficulty in hanging on 

 to smooth glass, and even though a rough surface is 

 supplied the insect is constantly found on the bottom 

 of the cage resting in a horizontal position. After 

 laying eggs, such infirm mosquitoes generally die the 

 same night. In nature, Anophelines certainly remain 

 alive in huts for one or two months and possibly longer. 

 After the drying up of all breeding-places, the winged 

 Anophelines do not much diminish in number for 

 several weeks. If the drying up continues, the numbers 

 gradually diminish, but specimens may be caught up 

 to two months or more afterwards. 



* Culicines in England hibernate, e.g., in cellars, from October to April. 



