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labor would be wasted. Mr. W. C. Kerr, the originator of the mos- 
quito work at that place, and an excellent observer, is decidedly of 
the opinion that mosquitoes are not brought over from New Jersey. 
Almost everyone must have noticed the habit of mosquitoes of 
clinging to branches of trees and grasses during a high wind, swarm- 
ing out in flight as the wind subsides, but there must be instances 
when they are greatly aided in spreading by such gentle winds as 
those mentioned above by Dr. Fernald. 
In this connection an observation made by Mr. R. M. Reese in 
Baltimore is significant. He found that by treating the privy vault 
in his backyard with kerosene, the supply of mosquitoes to the house 
was greatly reduced, although there were many other breeding places 
only a little farther removed. 
Another significant instance was mentioned by Prof. Herbert 
Osborn at the Boston meeting of the Association of Economic Ento- 
mologists. He said that in dry seasons the small pools within a quar- 
ter toa half a mile from the college buildings at Ames, Iowa, dry up 
and the mosquitoes disappear, in spite of the fact that within about a 
mile there are large pools which never become dry. 
On this point Mrs. C. B. Aaron writes very sensibly as follows 
(Dragon Flies vs. Mosquitoes—The Lamborn Essays, Appleton & Co., 
1890, pp. 35-36): 
The migration of mosquitoes has been the source of much misapprehension on the 
part of the public. The idea prevalent at our seaside resorts that a land breeze brings 
the swarms of mosquitoes from far inland is based on the supposition that it is capable 
of long-sustained flight and a certain amount of battling against the wind. This isan 
error. Mosquitoes are frail of wing; a light puff of breath will illustrate this by hurling 
the helpless creature away, and it will not venture on the wing again for some time after 
finding a safe harbor. The prevalence of mosquitoes during a land breeze is easily 
explained. It is usually only during the lulls in the wind at such times that Culex can 
fly. Generally on our coast a sea breeze means a stiff breeze, and during these even the 
Odonata, and often the robust and ventursome Tabanidee, will be found hovering on 
the leeward side of the houses, sand dunes, and thick foliage. Inthe meadows south 
of Atlantic City, N. J., large swarms of Culex are sheltered in the dense grass or 
wind-battered tree tops on the off side of the sand dunes. Here, in common with all 
localities so exposed to searching wind, the trees and large bushes are much stunted 
in growth and battered down to a flat top and common level by the wind. In these 
matted branches, dense with the close-clustered foliage, the mosquitoes may be dis- 
covered in such numbers as to bring despair to the heart of the student who is plot- 
ting their final extermination. While the strong breezes last Culex will stick close 
to these friendly shelters, though a cluster of houses may be but a few rods off, filled 
with unsuspecting mortals who imagine their tormentors are far inland over the salt 
meadows. But if the wind dies down, as it usually does when veering, out come 
swarms upon swarms of the females intent upon satisfying their depraved taste for 
blood. This explains why they appear on the field of acticn almost immediately 
after the cessation in the strong breeze; on the supposition that they were blown far 
inland, this sudden reappearance would be unaccountable. 
Carriage of mosquitoes by railway trains.—The State of New Jersey 
has an unfortunate reputation in connection with mosquitoes. While 
