160 MOSQUITOES 



abundant in sluggish waters, fresh or brackish, almost 

 ever}^ where south of the Ohio Eiver. It feeds largely on 

 vegetable matter, but also on insects. Larval mosquitoes 

 have been found in its stomach. The species is vivipar- 

 ous, as indeed are most of the minnows of this genus, as 

 well as of the genus Fundulus, the young when born being 

 about three-eighths of an inch long. It is specially abun- 

 dant in the Gulf States. Dr. H. A. Yeazie, of New Or- 

 leans, writes me that this little fish is common about New 

 Orleans, and that Avliere it is present he has not been able 

 to find mosquito larvae of any kind. He has looked in 



Fig. 46. — Top minnow {Fundulus notatus) ; sligiitly enlarged. (After 

 Jordan and Evermann.) 



gutters and ponds where to all appearances there should 

 be plenty of larvae, and has found none, and very shortly 

 he saw the little minnows patrolling the pools. He says 

 they are great breeders, and ravenous eaters. They are 

 so small that they will go into the shallowest places, and 

 even wriggle on the side of the bod> to catch their prey. 

 They seem to live under the most adverse circumstances, 

 and do not die until all water is gone. He has seen them 

 so thick in a partly dried-up pond that they had no room 



