170 



influence of temperature, can be aquired, in the present state of our knowledge. I 

 shall restrict myself to remarking that MARTINI (1902 p. 152) for North Germany 

 indicates that at tp. of 20 C. in the rooms the blood sucking process takes place 

 every fourth day till egg-laying, and that this goes on two or three weeks later on. 



14. If now from a veterinarian point of view it will be admitted that the num- 

 ber of Aiiophelines in the stables has some significance, it may be added that it is 

 very easy to destroy the mosquitoes; the best means are white washing of ceiling 

 and walls, destruction of cob\vebs, draught and light. The number of mosquitoes 

 is always greatest in the dark, dirty, small stables without light and draught. In 

 large, fine stables, well ventilated and white-washed the number of mosquitoes has 

 certainly no practical interest. 



It may also be added that the swallows play a prominent part in the destruc- 

 tion of the mosquitoes ; where there are many swallows' nests, there are few mosqui- 

 toes. I have often seen them pick the mosquitoes away from the ceiling. On the 

 other hand I have never seen the spiders destroy them and never found remains 

 of them in the webs, even where the mosquitoes in huge numbers hang down from 

 inhabited cobw r ebs; see also KNAB (1912 p. 143). He mentions several other Nemocera 

 which are also found there. Only the Ceratopagonida> suck upon the prey of the 

 Aranea; \vhat the other Nematocera have to do there we do not know. That they 

 should find any protection there I find quite improbable. 



15. Being no veterinarian I only venture to suggest the question if the thought 

 is quite unnatural that there may be occasions where the mosquitoes may be able 

 to play a role as disease-carriers. 



16. It is a well-known fact that entomologists who have been punctured by A. 

 bifurcatus always maintain that the sting is much more painful than that of the 

 Culicines; further that the effect lasts much longer. See also NOCHT (1901 p. 908). 

 My own experience goes in the same direction. Here as everywhere we often 

 hear about venomous punctures of mosquitoes. It happens that quite suddenly many 

 people suffer from such punctures; in 1920 the field workers on a large estate suffered 

 greatly from venomous punctures of mosquitoes in September. In one of the above- 

 named localities at Silkeborg the families and especially the children got one veno- 

 mous puncture after the other and had to be treated by a doctor. In that very 

 locality an Entomologist, Mr. PETERSEN, pointed out that A. maculipennis was to be 

 found in the rooms. I should think that here we have fo do with a case, worthy 

 of special investigation. 



17. From the Middle of Seeland as well as from Lolland I have gathered from 

 twenty to forty females in the stables and examined the alimentary canal, but I 

 have never seen cystes on the walls. As up to 1920 in the autumn I never heard 

 of a single case of malaria which must be regarded as indigenous, I ceased to make 

 these observations, regarding them as rather unnecessary. 



18. Commonly A. maculipennis is sole master of the stables; only in spring 

 A. bifurcatus arrives too. Especially in the autumn C. pipiens appears, but now and 



