46 AMERICAN MUSEUM GUIDE LEAFLETS 



for its accomplishment. In the light of some knowledge of the habits 

 Practical and life-history of the mosquito, there was no difficulty 



Methods of j n discovering that any extensive attempt to cope with 



Extermination .1 • . 1 j< 1 . 1 ■. 1 • .1 



the insects must lie directed toward its destruction m the 



aquatic larval and pupal stages. A consideration of the "natural 



enemies" of the mosquito, which might be taken advantage of for the 



purpose, would seem to hear out such a decision, for in the case of the 



adult mosquito, these are practically confined to a few insectivorous 



birds which My at dark, while the animals which prev on the larva' are 



very numerous. 



The systematic investigations of the subject, which have covered the 

 ground very fully, make clear the practical measures that must he used, 

 and the actual work which has been accomplished leaves no more room 

 for any doubt that in civilized communities, mosquitoes may he, if not 

 exterminated, at least reduced in number to a minimum. Professor 

 Howard in his hook, "Mosquitoes, How they live, etc.". 1 1001 1 gives an 

 account of the work done at his instigation by the national and various 

 local governments, up to that time. The "Report on Mosquitoes" 

 1 100.")! of the New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station, contains an 

 account of Professor Smith's extensive investigations, which are put to the 

 most practical use. 



Professor Smith finds that the larva' are eaten by certain shore birds, 



like sand-pipers, and by other insects and their larvse, 

 Natural Enemies .....'. . . . 



of the Mosquito such :,s the whirligig hectics (Gyrinula), water-scor- 



pions (Ranaira fasca), and especially the larvae of a 

 diving heetle (Dytiscus), one of which was observed in confinement, to 

 kill and eat 434 wrigglers in two days. Tadpoles are found to be 

 practically worthless for the purpose. The most active enemies of the 

 larva' are small fishes of various kinds, such as minnows, "sunfish," the 

 common "killifish" or "saltwater minnow," the "sheep-head minnow" 

 and the "top minnow." One or more varieties of these or other small 

 fishes, if introduced wherever there is a permanent body of water, will 

 effectually keep mosquito larvae from hatching. The fish must he can- 

 fully selected with reference to their preference in respect to environ- 

 ment, of which an account is to he found in the report mentioned 

 above. The complete absence of larva- in many places where tiny 

 would naturally he expected, like cat-tail swamps, may undoubtedly he 

 accounted for hv the presence of some species of small fish. 



