Cuar. XII.] MOSQUITOES. 435 
Even in the midst of endurance from their onslaughts 
one cannot but be amused by the ingenuity of their 
movements; as if aware of the risk incident to an open 
assault, a favourite mode of attack is, when concealed 
by a table, to assail the ankles through the meshes of 
the stocking, or the knees which are ineffectually pro- 
tected by a fold of Russian duck. When you are 
reading, a mosquito will rarely settle on that portion of 
your hand which is within range of your eyes, but 
cunningly stealing by the underside of the book fastens 
on the wrist or little finger, and noiselessly inserts his 
proboscis there. I have tested the classical expedient 
recorded by Herodotus, who states that the fishermen 
inhabiting the fens of Egypt, cover their beds with their 
nets, knowing that the mosquitoes, although they bite 
through linen robes, will not venture through a net. 
But, notwithstanding the opinion of Spence’, that nets 
with meshes an inch square will effectually exclude 
them, I have been satisfied by painful experience that 
(if the theory be not altogether fallacious) at least the 
modern mosquitoes of Ceylon are uninfluenced by the 
instance in which mention is made mals, the fly and the dog, exhi- 
of the miracle of Moses, the Sep- 
tuagint says that the fly produced 
was the xvvouvia, the ‘ dog-fly.” 
What insect was meant by this 
nameit isnot noweasy to determine, 
but ASLIAN intimates that the dog- 
fly both inflicts a wound and emits 
a booming sound, in both of which 
particulars it accords with the 
mosquito (lib. iv. 51); and Putro- 
Jupzxvs, in his Vita Mosis, lib. i. 
ch, xxiii., descanting on the plague 
of flies, and using the term of the 
Septuagint, xvvouvia, describes it 
as combining the characteristic of 
“the most impudent of all ani- 
biting the courage and the cunning 
of both, and fastening on its victim 
with the noise and rapidity of 
an arrow” —perd potfov nabdmrep 
Bédos. This seems to identify the 
dog-fly of the Septuagint with the 
description of the Psalmist, Ps, 
lxxviil. 45, and to vindicate the 
conjecture that the tormenting 
mosquito, and not the house-fly, 
was commissioned by the Lord to 
humble the obstinacy of the 
Egyptian tyrant. 
1 Heroporus, Euterpe, xcv. 
? Kirpy and Srence’s Ento- 
mology, letter iv, 
FF 2 
