218 
THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
diously uttered, means help! protect! ‘Quill,’ 
‘I want something very much;’ ‘Quoueee,’ 
despair of escaping some danger, — this 
sound I have often heard all my marmosets 
make at the sight of anything strange to 
them, or which reminded them of some 
known danger.” 
The Mosquito: — In tropical climes one of 
the worst pests that man and beast alike 
have to content with is the blood-sucking 
mosquito. Familiar, however, as its victims 
are with its insidious and persistent me- 
thods of attack, and the peculiar intensity 
of the plain that its sting gives rise to, few 
have any idea of the complicated apparatus 
with which this “mite of creation” works 
its mischief. 
Discovery tell us that the beak of the 
mosquito is simply a tool box, wherein the 
mosquito keeps six miniature surgical in- 
struments in perfect working order. Two 
of these instruments are exact counterparts 
of the surgeon’s lance, one is a spear with 
a double-barbed head, the fourth is a needle 
of exquisitie fineness, a saw and a pump 
going to make up the complement. The 
spear is the largest of the six tools, and is 
used for making the initial puncture; next 
the lances or knives are brought into plaj 7 
to cause the blood to flow more freely. In 
case this last operation fails of having the 
desired effect, the saw and the needle are 
carefully and feelingly inserted in a lateral 
direction in the victim’s flesh. The pump, 
the most delicate of all six of the instru- 
ments is used in transferring the blood to 
the insect’s “stomach.” 
A Hint: — Apropos of our too lively 
winged friends, one of the best means of 
ridding a room of their presence is the fol- 
lowing. Heat a piece of camphor in a tin 
can over the flafne of a lamp, in such a 
manner as not to allow the camphor to 
ignite. Allow the fumes to fill the infested 
room. It will be rapidly cleared, and no 
further attempts to enter will be made by 
the pests for several hours after the ope- 
ration. 
The Peronospora has appeared among 
fhe vines in several localities in Malta. 
Flora of Elba- — Dr. P. Boizon has con- 
tributed to the last number of “Rivista 
Italiana di Scienze Natural: an interesting 
article on the Elban flora. Of the sixty 
eight species that are peculiar to the archi- 
pelago twenty only are found in Elba. 
I among which are hychnis laeta. and con- 
1 volvulus siculus. 
Dr. John Murray in America: — Dr. 
John Murray, the eminent “Challenger” 
naturalist whose visit to these islands will 
be still fresh in the memory of our readers, 
is at present in the United States. He 
recently delivered a series of lectures cn 
the “Challenger” results to the scientific 
bodies of Boston 
Habits of Hermit Crabs: — A correspon- 
dent to the Field gives us an interesting 
account of the habits of the hermit crabs 
of Northern Madagascar. 
Among the many species that inhabit 
the shore, the most common was a light 
grey variety which lived for the most part 
in the branches of the trees and bushes. 
Thejr preyed upon the frigate birds (Tachy- 
petes aquila) and gannets (Sula) which 
nested in there in hundreds. The writer 
saw them in the act of devouring the bodies 
of the birds. 
Vine Disease in Sicily and Greece: — 
The vineyards of western Sicily, and of 
Pvrgos and the neighbouring districts in 
Greece are being invaded by the Peroncs- 
pora a fungoid growth which attacks the 
vines and causes the leaves and fruit to 
wither and rot away. The Minister of 
Agriculture for Italy has caused immediate 
steps to be taken to prevent the spread of 
the disease to the other districts in Sicily. 
In Greece the infection has made rapid 
progress, and great distress is anticipated 
among the vine growers. 
The Greek government has sent the 
professor of Botany to die infected districts; 
little hopes, however, are entertained of 
his being able to do anything to save this 
year's currant crops. 
Editor. J. II. Cooke. B.Sc.. F.G.S. Malta. 
Ml Ql 
