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mosquitoes are resting, but that on his blue serge 
clothes there may be dozens. He will have noted, 
too, that outside his mosquito net it is on the shady 
side that the mosquitoes remain longest, until from 
here also they fly away as the fierce sun rises. 
He will have noted, too, that Anophelines as well 
as Culicines have a predilection for certain smells. Old 
boots and blacking attract them strongly, and the 
leather of a saddle room is their favourite haunt. 
Anophelines , too, much prefer the odoriferous skin of 
the native to that of the European, as experiments 
made by us in Sierra Leone clearly shewed. 
Length of Life of Mosquitoes 
The length of life of mosquitoes, under suitable 
conditions, is probably considerable ; several weeks 
to months.* In captivity they may, if suitably housed 
and constantly fed, be kept alive for days, weeks, and 
even months. A mosquito kept some time in captivity 
becomes infirm, and readily falls into the water whilst 
laying its eggs. It also finds difficulty in hanging on 
to smooth glass, and even though a rough surface is 
supplied the insect is constantly found on the bottom 
of the cage resting in a horizontal position. After 
laying eggs, such infirm mosquitoes generally die the 
same night. In nature, Anophelines certainly remain 
alive in huts for one or two months and possibly longer. 
After the drying up of all breeding-places, the winged 
Anophelines do not much diminish in number for 
several weeks. If the drying up continues, the numbers 
gradually diminish, but specimens may be caught up 
to two months or more afterwards. 
* Culicines in England hibernate, e.g ., in cellars, from October to April. 
