i8 
REPORT OF THE MALARTA EXPEDITION. 
Most of them contained 
green water-weeds, and many 
tadpoles and frogs ; but none 
contained fish. 
In size the)' varied from 
a few square inches in area to 
se\'eral square yards. 
It is important to note 
that in no case did we find 
Anophcki larv;t in pools whicli, 
though otherwise suitable for 
them, were distant from human 
habitations. We must add, 
however, that we did not ex- 
amine man)' sucii, except in 
^. i.,,r_i;c pn,,i pr.Miuee.i by v.iiiu.iy cnih.inkiiiriu. the swamps referred to above. 
In considering tliesc facts it is neccssarv to remember two things. F'lnt^ Freetown is a 
hill\- place with a low subsoil water - -circumstances which limit the number of surface puddles of 
all kinds, and especiall\- of permanent stagnant puddles. Secondly^ wlien we carried on these 
investigations it was the height of the rains ; that is, lieavy showers usually fell several times a day. 
This, in a hilly country, must act in opposite ways as regards surface pools. It constantly 
replenishes all these pools, but at the same time it constantly scours out those which exist in 
watercourses and on sloped surfaces. A different state of things may prevail as the showers 
become less frequent tcmard the end of the rains ; the smaller puddles will then tend to dry up 
between the showers, while those formerly subject to scouring may now cease to be so, and may 
become habitable for Anophcki larva?. Thus we thought it likely that after the rains they may be 
found in the numerous pools which will then be left in the beds of the dr)'ing-up watercourses — 
where, during the rains, the)' would be swept away. 
Hence it is not advisable to generalize 
too much from these observations, regarding 
either the frequenc)- of Anophcki puddles in other 
places, or even in Freetown at other seasons. 
In some places the puddles must be more nume- 
rous ; in others less numerous ; while in Free- 
town itself their number and position probabl)' 
ch ni<ie from season to season. 
14. Distribution of Anopheles in 
Freetown. Owing to difficulties in the way of 
catchinsi; s^nats in private liouses, we could not 
make cxliaustive studies of the distribution of tiie 
6. Collection of small Anofihclcs pools, 
adults in various parts of the town. The following facts, however, were observed ; — 
