442 MOSQUITOES 



only in tree holes; A. cruzi of Brazil breeds in accumulations of 

 water in the leaves of certain tropical plants. A number of 

 species of Anopheles will breed in brackish water, and some in 

 pure or even concentrated sea water. A. ludlowi of the Philip- 

 pines is believed to breed only in sea water. Some of the coral 

 islands of the East Indies are practically uninhabitable for new- 

 comers on account of the prevalence of malaria which is carried 

 by Anopheles that breed in quiet pools within the coral reefs. 



The larva? of Anopheles are chiefly surface feeders. Some feed 

 upon anything floating on the surface of the water which is 

 small enough to enter the mouth. Others, however, reject many 

 things after they have been swept into the mouth by the mouth 

 brushes, and some feed exclusively on vegetable matter. Only 

 a few species are predaceous. 



Apparently neither the eggs nor larvae of Anopheles are resistant 

 to drying, though they may live on moist mud for some time. 

 Eggs of A nopheles laid in such mud develop to the hatching point 

 but do not hatch until immersed, and die if the mud dries to the 

 extent of losing its glistening surface. 



Anopheles are not rapid in development as compared with 

 some mosquitoes. At Washington, D. C, in early summer, A. 

 quadrwiacidatus was determined by Dr. Howard to develop in a 

 minimum of 24 days — three for the eggs, 16 for the larvae, and 

 five for the pupse. In some species the development may be 

 more rapid, but about two weeks is probably a minimum. Ac- 

 cording to observations by Kulagin near Moscow, Russia, in 

 1906, there was but one generation of Anopheles in a year, the 

 females always resting over winter before depositing their eggs. 

 This point of the number of generations of Anopheles deserves 

 further local study everywhere. 



It is important to note that Anopheles mosquitoes are verj'' 

 sedentary in habit, and seldom fly more than a few hundred 

 yards from their birthplace, and usually not this far. As a 

 group, the insects of this genus are physically incapable of as long 

 flight as are most other moscjuitoes. It is frequently reported 

 that Anopheles is found several miles from its nearest breeding 

 places, but the difficulty of knowing with certainty that no 

 water-filled hoofprint or tin can exists in the intervening area is 

 obvious. That an Anopheles may occasionally wander half a 

 mile or more from its breeding ground is unquestionable, but not 



