82 FROM NORTH POLE TO EQUATOR. 



in the water till their metamorphosis is accomplished. This explains 

 why the tundra is more favourable than any other region to their 

 development, and to their occurrence in enormous numbers. As 

 soon as the sun, once more ascending, has thawed the snow, the ice, 

 and the upper crust of the earth, the life of the mosquito, latent in 

 winter but not extinguished, begins to stir again. The larvae escape 

 from the eggs which have been buried, but not destroyed, in the 

 frozen mud; in a few days these larvae become pupae, the pupae be- 

 come winged insects, and generation follows generation in quick 

 succession. The heyday of the terrible pests lasts from before the 

 beginning of the summer solstice until the middle of August. 



During the whole of this time they are present on the heights 

 as in the low grounds, on the mountains or hills as in the valleys, 

 among the dwarf-birches and sallow bushes as on the banks of 

 rivers and lakes. Every grass-stalk, every moss-blade, every twig, 

 every branch, every little leaf sends forth hundreds and thousands 

 of them all day long. The mosquitoes of tropical countries, of the 

 forests and marshes of South America, the interior of Africa, India, 

 and the Sunda islands, so much dreaded by travellers, swarm only at 

 night; the mosquitoes of the tundra fly for ten weeks, for six of these 

 actually without interruption. They form swarms which look like 

 thick black smoke; they surround, as with a fog, every creature 

 which ventures into their domains; they fill the air in such numbers 

 that one hardly dares to breathe; they baffle every attempt to drive 

 them off; they transform the strongest man into an irresolute weak- 

 ling, his anger into fear, his curses into groans. 



As soon as the traveller sets foot on the tundra their buzzing is 

 heard, now like the singing of a tea-kettle, now like the sound of a 

 vibrating metal rod, and, a few minutes later, he is surrounded by 

 thousands and thousands. A cloud of them swarms round head 

 and shoulders, body and limbs, follows his steps, however quickly 

 he moves, and cannot possibly be dispersed. If he remain standing, 

 the cloud thickens; if he move on, it draws itself out; if he run as 

 quickly as possible, it stretches into a long train, but does not remain 

 behind. If a moderate wind is blowing against them, the insects 

 hasten their flight to make headway against the current of air; 



