171 



Canon A. M, Norman — Xotes on the 



iiicluded in Sydvaranger and its Arctic situation the list must 

 ])e considered altogether very full. 



DlPTERA. 



One most unpleasant experience in Sydvaranger is derived 

 from the enormous swarms of mosquitos. These are bred in 

 the marshy ground near the margin of the fiords, and when 

 dredging clouds were perpetually settling upon us. The 

 natives escaped, however, their persecution altogether; my 

 Norwegian iriends were not much troubled ; but I was a 

 victim, containing delicious sweet blood which no previous 

 mosquitos had tainted, and they made the most of me. 

 Hands, forehead, and neck were one mass of bites, and for a 

 fortnight the irritation was most trying ; however, smearing 

 all exposed parts with oil of cloves did not a little to keep 

 them off, and after a time they did not attack me so cruelly 

 as they had done at first. Why was this? It is a wonderful 

 thought, but yet it is, I believe, the fact that the bites of 

 these little wretches had at the same time that they sucked 

 my blood infused something into the blood they were sucking 

 which had affected the whole of that in my body in such a 

 way that their wonderful power of scent told other mosquitos 

 that it was no longer so delicious as it had been, in that it 

 liad now been subjected to the attacks of their brethren. 

 Although the biles of these mosquitos are not malaria- 



