1921.] 
Reviews and Abstracts. 
305 
recurrence of the disease, rendered it imperative that our scanty knowledge 
of New Zealand mosquitoes should be reinforced by definite data concerning 
the presence or absence of disease-carrying Culicidae in this country, and 
the suitability of North Auckland as a breeding-area should such forms 
be accidentally introduced. 
Previous to this investigation only five species of mosquitoes had been 
recorded from New Zealand, and of these practically nothing was known. 
The report adds to the list several others, of which one is of extreme and, 
one may say, of painful interest, since it departs from the oft-quoted rule 
that only the female bites. This is a large littoral species, of which the 
intermediate stages are passed in shallow rock-pools, and which possesses 
in addition so many structural peculiarities as probably to warrant the 
erection of a new subfamily. 
A common white-striped species' from Auckland City bears a superficial 
resemblance to the yellow-fever mosquito (Aedes calojms), from which, 
however, the excellent figures enable one readily to distinguish it. 
Most of the figures are original, and all are to be commended for the 
clearness of detail displayed. The differences in mouth-parts between 
the sexes, and the modification of the dipterous trophi to form piercing 
and sucking organs, have been described again and again, but never 
figured with greater clearness than now. 
In a similarly lucid manner are indicated the outstanding points of 
difference between the Culicines, comprising the common mosquitoes and 
the yellow-fever species, and the Anophelines, to which belong the carriers 
of malaria. All the species studied belong to the former group, although 
a little doubt remains regarding the presence of an Anopheline, a species 
of which was seen, but not captured. Whether this is a malaria-carrier 
or not remains, therefore, uncertain. 
The habitats of mosquitoes, especially during their preparatory stages, are 
described in considerable detail. One learns that practically any accumu¬ 
lation of water may support mosquitoes, provided it be not too large, in 
which case—as, for example, a lake—the number of fish, predaceous insects, 
and other enemies renders existence impossible, even were other conditions 
favourable. The knowledge of this important point simplifies considerably 
the problem of control, and incidentally demonstrates the futility of intro¬ 
ducing fish and the larger carnivorous insects which require a large body 
of water. It is shown that breeding localities may be permanent, or, on 
the other hand, that the pest may be totally dependent on temporary 
accommodations of water, such as fill the discarded household receptacles 
of the rubbish-heap, or the hoof-prints of stock in marshy pastures. New 
and unexpected breeding-places are described in the axils and leaf-bases 
of forest epiphytes, and in the hollows of logs and tree-fern stumps. 
Rapid streams, too turbulent in the main, for Culicid larvae, may still 
support their quota of the pest in potholes eroded out of the river-bed. 
Of the measures of control recommended, the use of very dilute copper- 
sulphate solution, or of an oil film such as that formed by kerosene or by 
the Panama carbolic-resin emulsion, is applicable to bodies of water which 
cannot be eliminated. Swamps should be drained, and watercourses 
cleared of weeds and debris. 
The territory investigated is described in detail, geographically and 
topographically, and the whole area divided into eight natural provinces. 
Under the account of each district the permanent, temporary, and artificial 
breeding locations all receive detailed notice, and at the same time the 
methods of control most easily applicable locally are indicated. 
