320 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION REPORT, I907— 1908. 



to the Middle pond. This would drain the low area east of the 

 bridge, which is now in a soggy condition. 



This section should be examined in a normal season to best 

 judge the conditions. 



The Salt Marsh Problem. 



The east side of the Pataguanset marsh from the railroad 

 south was viewed from the road and a section at the lower end 

 was examined. Most of the small pools contained fish or were 

 reached by the tide. No mosquito larvae were found. 



The marsh on both sides of the bridge where the Old Black 

 Point road crosses the Pataguanset river was examined. On 

 the south side of the bridge and east of the river the marsh is 

 in a very soggy condition. The old ditches are choked and 

 there are numerous pools of standing water, nearly all containing 

 large number of wrigglers of the salt marsh mosquito, Culex 

 sollicitans. A short distance from the bridge a small point of 

 the marsh extends inland. This area contains a number of 

 depressions where the water has dried out, and the mud is 

 covered with dead larvae. This place would probably be more 

 serious in a normal season. It could be drained by cleaning out 

 an old ditch which extends towards this point from the river, 

 and continuing it for about one hundred and fifty feet. This 

 marsh should be examined southward as far as the railroad, 

 and where breeding is found ditches should be dug to the river. 



The east side of the river north of the bridge is also in a 

 serious condition and needs ditching. Many pools with a large 

 number of larvae were found here. Further to the north the 

 marsh extends around a point of land and reaches nearly to 

 the road. This area contains several large pools with very few 

 fish in them. ^^losquito larvae were present in great nimibers. 

 An old choked ditch extending in from the river is not con- 

 nected with any of these pools. It should be cleaned and 

 extended for about one hundred feet. It will probably be neces- 

 sary to dig two or three lateral ditches on each side of this main 

 ditch to drain the area. The marsh west of the river was not 

 examined but appears to be in a similar condition to that on the 

 east side. 



