eases, natural énenies, or ponching gunners, To.expect that the snall un= 
drained oe left for.wildlife aleng the northern. Atlantic coast will 
be sufficient to supply the needs of the vildlife population sought by 
the-people of this Nation is sinilar to an expectation that the hungry 
apne cee of an army can be satisfied with a ham sandwich. 
The ance OF marshes has been used as an adjunct to mosquito 
control, both by private individuals and by nosquito-control organizations. | 
In the case of most wildlife habitats, conservationists vigorously con- 
demn such practices as an unnecessary nenace to ¥ wildlife,. particularly y! 
when burning is undertaken during nesting seasons. Excessive burning of 
drained and dried narshes is ruinous to wildlife in that it renoves both | 
food and cover until another season has arrived. Through ditching, the 
narsh area capebdle of. being. burned is greatly increased, ond fires on 
ditched mershes usuelly are nore severe and destructive than on natural 
undisturbed areas. The use of such objectionable measures as fire ene 
courages controversy by extremists on both sides of the control and wild- 
life camps. and widens the. gorge between then. 
In conclusion, it should be en eeicea that mosquito- acontean oper- 
ations involving the destructive drainage of important and essential wild- 
life habitat cen never be gatisfactorily coordinated with wildlife conser 
vation, Permanent ponds are an essential element of wildlife habitat and 
their-drainage for nosquito-control purposes is usually not only imprudent 
but unnecessarily.destructive to wildlife. Furthermore, the use of heavy 
oils instead of the less harmful larvicides as measures of mosquito control 
can rarely receive the approval or cooperation of conservation interests. 
The development of the New Jersey larvicide or pyrethrun spray was a dis— 
tinct conservation neasure. 
All of us are heartily in favor of necessary and justifiable nos- 
quito-control projects, that are intelligently planned, conducted, and 
naintained: so ag to assure satisfactory protection from mosquitoes, but 
some of-us at least, will continue to oppose the prosecution of other 
types, of projects as hitherto carried on thet result in the unwarranted 
destruction of an exceedingly important natural resource in this country. 
Too nuch of the mosquito control of the past has been excessive and 
extreme, and apparently much of the. work has been based on the principle 
that if a little is gooi much is better. This is as absurd as to assume 
that if one pill administered to a sick man will effect the necessary re= 
lief a hundred pills will do the job better. 
— 
Progressive nosquito-control workers fully realize that the public 
is demanding of those responsible for this necessary activity greater 
qualifications than the mere ability to dig a ditch that will meet en- 
gineering standards. Costly mistakes are inevitable as long as those 
engaged in mosquito control have scarely a passing knowledge of ento~ 
nology or of general biology. Mosquito~control workers and wildlife 
conservationists in the future should more closely coordinate their 
activities, so as to accomplish the purpose of each without jeopardizing 
the interests of either. 
ai 
