190 MOSQUITOES. 
There are many other very interesting points in the life- 
history of this insect. But what earthly good is it to study 
all these details? Where is the benefit to farmers? Asa re- 
ply it might be stated that by knowing all these details it is 
easy to reduce the numbers of these insects very materially 
near our houses; at least this can be done in many cases. 
Knowing that the eggs are laid upon the water, that larve 
and pup have to live in it and have to come to thé surface 
to breathe air, we have an excellent way of killing vast 


Fig. 154.—Mosquito, male; showing also scales and section through ear. 
Greatly enlarged. Original. 
numbers. During the summer the writer has kept a sort of 
census of the number of mosquitoes raised in rain-water in 
two barrels, and two counts will be given to show how 
many mosquitoes can be raised near the farm-house, or 
where they are most needed! July 6th, 1896, the water in 
one barrel was filtered. Itcontained 35 grams of mosquitoes, 
each gram, by count, numbering 217, hence SOx 2 feihoees 
larve and pup. Besides this 32 egg-masses, each contain- 
ing on an average 302 eggs, were found, which would hatch 
