92 JO URNAL, BOMB A Y NA TURAL HISTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol. IX. 



bark of an aspen poplar, seemingly engaged in an effort to extract something 

 out of it, but with very limited success, so far as the appearance of the 

 abdomen indicated ; yet it went through all the movements required to make 

 the success complete. If they will attack the hard bark of a tree, how much 

 more likely is it that they would try the soft stems of succulent plants. When 

 we understand that this is one of the habits of the insect, we see that there is 

 a double reason present why they should seek the cover of rank vegetation ; 

 one, protection from the direct rays of the sun, which they cannot endure ; the 

 other, that they may obtain food to sustain life. Yet, no matter what amount 

 of vegetable juice they may take, it never slacks their thirst for blood. This 

 the unfortunate collector well knows to his cost when he has been allured, in 

 the pursuit of some attractive specimens, to the stirring up of a tall and 

 luxuriant clump of weeds in a damp and shady place. 



Many remedies have been suggested for relieving the irritation produced by 

 mosquito bites. The Rev. Mr. "Wood says arnica saved him from a vast amount 

 of torture. A wash of ammonia is said by others to give immediate relief. 



To rid the house of their presence in the evening, so as to get peaceful rest 

 at night, all are familiar, either by observation or report, with the use of smoke. 

 Indeed, the primitive "Smudge " was the only method available in new settle- 

 ments ; but now we have a more clean, convenient and efficacious material to 

 use for the same purpose in insect-powder, " pyrethrum." Make a little 

 pyramid of the powder about an inch and a half in diameter at the base, on 

 some incombustible material, and ignite it at the top. It will consume slowly, 

 producing smoke enough to fill a large room, which will kill or stupify every 

 mosquito in it. 



I copy the following from Insect Life, vol, V, p. 359 : " The Indian Medical 

 Journal for March 16th says that a Bombay newspaper calls attention to the 

 virtues of the castor-oil plant as a means of protection against mosquitoes. In 

 Egypt it is planted about houses to drive the insects away. In towns a better 

 plan is to have the growing plants in pots and bring them into the house for 

 a day or two at a time, but they must not be kept too long in the shade, for 

 Raima Christi is a sun-loving plant. A writer is cited as saying that the 

 mosquitoes are killed by a poison they find on the lower side of the leaf, but 

 it is stated that if a dozen leaves are placed about a room that swarms with 

 mosquitoes they will disappear without leaving any dead ones lying about." 

 But vigorous efforts should be made in all mosquito-infested localities to reduce 

 as much as possible the opportunity for their breeding. Stagnant water is 

 well-known to be the principal source whence comes the mosquito plague. 

 This, then, should be got rid of as soon as possible. When this cannot be done 

 at once it should be treated with a little coal oil, which will put an effectual 

 stop to their propagation, as has been demonstrated by Mr. L. 0. Howard's 

 experiment, published in the last Annual Report of the Society, and thus an 

 immense amount of suffering will be saved to man and beast. 



