XV, 3 
Banks: Anopheline Mosquitoes 
287 
I feel very safe in asserting that, from the observations made 
upon these anopheline mosquitoes in their action of flying 
against a stiff wind, we must certainly conclude that they have 
much greater power of flight than would be inferred from their 
apparently frail structure. If it be true that this species is so 
resistant to the wind — or rather, so capable of maintaining 
itself in safety in a high wind — what may not be expected of 
the more robust Culicines, such as Culex fatigans Wied., Manso- 
nia uniformis Theob., Stegomyia scutellaris Walk., and one or 
two other species, the occurrence of which in a given locality 
can only be explained by the fact that they must have “come 
upon the wind?” If Anophelines, naturally more delicate in 
structure and with narrower wings and slenderer legs than those 
mentioned above, can fly against a 12-kilometer wind and main- 
tain themselves at a given point, how much more easily could 
they or other mosquitoes be carried along by a wind, in which 
case they would simply be required to “give way” to its force 
and keep their balance! 
The ready ease with which these insects evade the captor’s 
hands and even his net would indicate that they possess in a 
very keen degree the percussion sense, that this would materially 
aid them in their windborne journeys in avoiding obstacles such 
as trees, and that they would find little or no incovenience in 
being wafted through wooded areas or around houses and other 
similar objects. 
The ability to fly against the wind, together with their sense 
of smell, would make it possible for them at any time in their 
journey to “drop out” of the wind current in which they might 
be carried, and attack any animal or enter any house in their 
path. This is always on the assumption that females as well 
as males are at times addicted to the swarming habit, and 
that they too would manifest the same activities as those of 
the opposite sex. There is certainly nothing to refute such a 
hypothesis. 
Many difficulties lie in the way of ascertaining precisely the 
minimum, or even optimum, distances which mosquitoes will 
fly; but it is certain that, at least in the Philippines, we must 
revise our ideas with respect to their being such frail creatures, 
not daring to venture forth except in a summer zephyr; and it 
is hoped that further observations along this line will enable 
us to say with greater certainty how far a mosquito can or 
will fly. 
