i-3S 



mosquito in the State which could be definitely connected with 

 the carriage of malaria, and that that species as well as its com- 

 moner but less injurious relative has much the same natural 

 history as the house mosquito. 



The report showed that there existed a very common species in 

 fresh-water swamps, other than cedar swamps, known as the 

 swamp mosquito, and that it was to be considered a migrant of 

 some space-covering power, flying on occasions as far as five 

 miles. It also showed that the eggs of this species are laid on 

 partially submerged rubbish or upon the exposed bottom itself 

 and that the winter is passed in this stage. 



This report showed that there existed several species of wood- 

 land pool mosquitoes with much the same natural history as the 

 swamp mosquito except in that they were abundant in the fore- 

 part of the season only and were non-migrational in habits. 



This report advocated the filling in of low places as the best 

 method of eliminating water in which mosquito larvae breed, 

 drainage or sealing mosquito tight as the next best and the use 

 of oil or larvicide as the least satisfactory. 



Following the issuance of this report additional information— 

 the direct results of study — was published in the annual reports 

 of Dr. Smith's office. Perhaps the principal later contribution was 

 the natural history of the irritating mosquito, a species which in 

 some parts of the State is sure to prove of considerable economic 

 importance. 



On the basis of the results of experimental study set forth 

 in 1904 report, legislation was enacted, and the work of salt- 

 marsh mosquito elimination began. On the basis of this report 

 and the additional information published in subsequent reports, 

 the County Mosquito Act of 191 2 was placed on the statute 

 book and elimination of all species was undertaken. 



Since 191 2 it has been learned that various large portions of 

 the marsh, notably in the northern half of the Hackensack Val- 

 ley, which were formerly designated as free from breeding, are 

 really prolific breeders, and that apparently any part of the salt 

 marsh which is not covered at least once each week by the tide 

 is open to suspicion as being capable of breeding mosquitoes. 



