INTKODUCTION. 9 



satisfactory, explanation in the case of a book entitled ' 'Mosquitoes/'" 

 published in the spring of 1901 ; but both bulletin and book served 

 a good purpose, and together undoubtedly helped to start, to a great 

 measure, the antimosquito work which has since been carried on in 

 the United States. 



Practically beginning with 1901, there has been a rather rapid in- 

 crease in antimosquito work by individuals and communities,, but 

 this work has not progressed with anything like the rapidity demanded 

 by the distressing conditions of many localities and in fact of great 

 areas. Yet it is probably accurate to state that more effective work 

 of this kind has been done in the United States than in any other 

 country. This is probably due to the greater prevalence of mosqui- 

 toes in the United States than in an}^ other highly civilized country, 

 but the well-known practical character of the American people is 

 also an element. 



During the summer of 1900 Mr. W. J. Matheson carried on some 

 admirable antimosquito work at his large place at Lloyds Neck, Long 

 Island, N. Y. This work was thoroughly done and was most success- 

 ful, no mosquitoes breeding where they had previously swarmed to 

 such an extent as to render the localities uninhabitable. In the 

 autumn of 1900 there was a migration of salt-marsh mosquitoes to 

 Lloyds Neck from salt marshes bordering on Center Island. Mr. 

 Matheson induced the practical residents of Center Island to take up 

 extensive work during the summer of 1901, and this work was carried 

 through in a very perfect manner by Mr. H. C. Weeks, engineer in 

 charge, and was described in the Century Magazine for July, 1902. 

 In the summer of 1901 was also begun by far the largest piece of 

 work as yet undertaken. It originated on the "Northern Shore" of 

 Long Island, in the regions between Hempstead Harbor and Cold 

 Spring Harbor, and was carried on under the auspices of the North 

 Shore Improvement Association, a group of wealthy and prominent 

 residents of this part of the island. The work during the summer of 

 1901 included an almost microscopic survey of the region and the 

 preparation of a map showing the breeding places of the several kinds 

 of mosquitoes. It included also the preparation of reports by ento- 

 mological experts, a report by Professor Shaler, of Harvard Univer- 

 sity, on marsh areas and related subjects; an account of the work 

 done on Center Island during 1901; and engineering reports, includ- 

 ing recommendations for treatment, by Mr. H. C. Weeks. A volume 

 was published in the spring of 1902 entitled "Reports on Mosquitoes, 

 with Map, "^ which forms a very sound basis for thorough ocean-shore 

 community work for some time to come. Following the survey of 

 the work by the North Shore Improvement Association in 1901 there 

 were carried on by private individuals and by the association in 1902 



o "Mosquitoes." By L. O. Howard. 1901. & New York, 1902. 



