124 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



investigation to those who are curious to know the wonders 

 of nature. During a period in its life the observer, forget- 

 ting it will at some time annoy him, feels the greatest in- 

 terest in its life-history. 



3. The body of the mosquito is long and cylindrical. 

 AVhen in a state of repose, one wing is crossed over the 

 other. The eyes are so large as to cover nearly the whole 

 of the head. The instrument which it uses for punctur- 

 ing the skin, and which is called the trunk, is well worthy 

 of attention. Under the microscope the trunk appears to be 

 straight and cylindrical, terminating in a small knob at the 

 end. This is only the case, which opens and allows the 

 stings, which are six in number, to come in play. These 

 stings are exceedingly minute, pointed, and are used very 

 much like a surgeon's lancet. This little instrument in 

 itself would scarcely be felt, but the sting is accompanied 

 by the emission of a fluid, which causes the irritation which 

 we know so well. 



4. The mosquito is not always in the form of a winged 

 insect greedy for our blood. After its brief but very active 

 life of from two to three weeks the female lays its eggs and 

 dies. These eggs are in clusters, which when magnified 

 appear like a fragment of honey-comb, with from fifty to 

 one hundred and fifty cells. They are deposited in the 

 water, or as close to it as possible. In wet seasons the 

 water rises and floats the eggs, producing an abundant har- 

 vest ; but in dry seasons many fail to reach the water, and 

 so perish. 



5. When first hatched in the water, they are very small, 

 and remarkably active. They get all the food necessary 

 for their sustenance from the water, and they seem to be 

 incessantly in the search of it. While in the larva state 

 in the course of two or three weeks, they change their skin 

 three times, each change being preceded by a period of 

 repose, and succeeded by one of activity and voracity. 



