MUSQUITOES. 
283 
hard white tumour presently rises on the spot as 
large as a silver threepence, which itches intolerably, 
and remains attended with dull pain and tension, for 
many hours. The mountain Musquitoes are gene- 
rally very much smaller, C. fasciatus, for instance, a 
minute species ; they are more pertinacious, associate 
in more numerous swarms, emit a sharp shrill hum, 
and produce a sudden twinge as they pierce the flesh, 
as if a spark of Are had fallen on it. A violent itch- 
ing is the immediate result, hut it soon goes off, 
leaves scarcely any perceptible tumour, and is soon 
forgotten. These, however, are more intolerable 
than the former, the recurrence of the spark-like 
prick at every moment, or rather all over the exposed 
parts of the person at the same moment, is too 
maddening to be endured ; and it is almost impos- 
sible to face a phalanx of these tiny adversaries, 
where they are numerous, without some device for 
keeping them off. A fragment of the earthy nest 
of the Duck-ants {Termites) answers well for this 
purpose ; being ignited, it continues to smoulder a 
considerable time, sending forth a large volume of 
smoke; this carried in the hand, and waved to and fro, 
is the most efiective weapon against these winged 
warriors. 
A young friend, on whose powers of observation 
and veracity I have full reliance, has assured me that 
he once saw a swarm of Musquitoes clinging to each 
other, in the manner of Bees when secreting wax, 
till the mass was about as big as a man’s fist. He 
was not at first aware of the nature of the assemblage, 
till on touching it the whole multitude took to flight 
in an instant, singing around him, leaving nothing 
