CONSIDERATIONS FROM STUDY OF INSECTS 259 



during these stages by pouring oil on the surface of the water where 

 they breed. The introduction of minnows, gold fish, or other 

 small fish which feed upon the larvae in the water where the 

 mosquitoes breed will do much in freeing a neighborhood from 

 this pest. Draining swamps or low land which holds water after 

 a rain is another method of extermination. 



Since the beginning of historical times, malaria has been preva- 

 lent in regions infested by mosquitoes. The ancient city of Rome 

 was so greatly troubled by periodic outbreaks of malarial fever 

 that a goddess of fever came to be worshiped in order to lessen 

 the severity of what the inhabitants believed to be a divine 



Three pupse and two larvae of mosquitoes at the surface of the water, breathing. 

 The black line is the water surface. Photograph from life, twice natural size, 

 by Davison. 



visitation. At the present time the malaria of Italy is being suc- 

 cessfully fought and conquered by the draining of the mosquito- 

 breeding marshes. By a little carefully directed oiling of water 

 a few boys may make an almost uninhabitable region absolutely 

 safe to live in. Why not try it if there are mosquitoes in your 

 neighborhood ? 



Yellow Fever and Mosquitoes. — Another disease which has 

 been proved to be carried by mosquitoes is yellow fever. In the 

 year 1878 there were 125,000 cases and 12,000 deaths in the city 

 of Memphis, Tenn., alone, Avith thousands of deaths in other 

 Southern cities. During the French occujwtion of the Panama 

 Canal zone the work was at a standstill part of the time because 

 of the ravages of yellow fever. 



