The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-07-05
For the Middlcbury .Rcgistcr.
Talk about Mosquitoes.
Mosquito Vale, June, "a.

mosquitoes, with which this region is lit
orally impregnatcd-whcrefor its name
you apprehend. Go where you will, they
are swarming, out of doors and in doors
up stairs and down stairs and like
the arcathcr, afford an ever ready topic
for conversation. Indeed, there is no
necessity for relieving an embarrassing
silence by dull and hackneycd observa-
tons on tho state of the atmosphere
Meet n friend, and you will find him
Thoroughly animated on the the subject
of mosquitoes. a.
"llave you any mosquitoes at your
house ?" (Ofcoursc he knows you havc.)
g. How thick they are this year -
Waving his Inadvertently
so my, yes 1t seems to mo they
will eat us up a%live-twith brisk mo-
ticns of the arm to and fro The baby
don't mind them so much, but Johnnie
is terribly poisoned (annihilating ono
with a smart percussion of the hands
[ AM sure we can't live with them much
longer land away flies another notwith-
standing a blow given it, in right good
earnestly Do you think they will last
all summer ?"
81 presume not. a change of wealth
cr(making sundry protective sweeps with
a BUSH would probably reduce their
numbcr-a cold or heavy rain, for in
stance"
GA rain I am sure they can be no
enemies to water in form of their
existence. | went TO the Pond last even.
ing, and, do you believe it, the water
was alire with sUtigglcrS, as we call
them, and probably they will wriggle
there for a few days, till they can aerig-
gle out q pair of wings, half a dozen
legs, and a proboscis, and then wo be to
us mortals Of flesh and blood"
Il could very well endure their sting
ing were it not for their singing. says
a nervous gentleman in n wig" but
such an interninaJ(c sercnade as they
keep up, is enough to exhaust any mans
ENTHUSIASTICALLY if he DO not partic-
ularly found ofmusic. wish they could
be pleased to ahgM and lite, without
such an annoying prelude of threats
"There are really some advantages in
being deGf," replies his dame, " but do
you not think their sting is peculiarly
olectrifying-scarcoly inferior to that of
tho wasp or bee and the pain the mos.
quito inflicts is unpalliated by the cir
cumstance of its having been done in
selfdefeuse. No wonder We feel SO lit.
tie respect for their bold and sanguinary
attacks, when they have the merit of be.
ing wholly aggyeSsirc."
IF the bee stings from motives of
selfdcfonsc, receiving no animal gmratifi.
ton, the mosquito acts on barely less
honorable principles-being impcllcd by
the pressing claims of Hunger and self:
preservation ; and provided no pain is
inflicted at the outSet, as is often the
case, would you refuse it and the
0nlY meal Of it's brief existence 2n
"You are quite sentimental, Uncle,
but do you really think the mosquito
lives only three or four days and takes,
at most,no more than one full. meal in its
life n
1t just now occurs to me, my dear,
that one JVH meal of nectar such as a
happy n is now slipping from your
brow, might suffice for a much longer
life. Pray be mognanimous for once,
and let the little philosopher get his jill,
sircc he has been so kin1 as not to hurt
you. What an arch-way he has OF put
ting ont his "hind leg to support the
centre of gravity, while he thrusts in
his bill for another and deeper draught.
| wish we had a microscope, only it
might be frightful to behold such a
stream Of blood as he is now pumping
up to deposit in his capacious reservoir.
The stiff black bill that you see, seems
to be used for piercing, and has a joint
near the head while the blood is drawn
up through a tiny transparent tube, par
allel and above. lie is becoming quite
intoxicated with delight, and there is
danger of his showing himself a gIutton.
How much like US, never satisfied with
enough. lie looks almost ready to burst,
yet his ~proboscis is again buried to his
head and he appears quite upset with
his load bat now, at last he has gorged
to his utmost capacity, and lazily sails
away to the nearest wall, to digest his
luscious meal. Rare mosquito favored
above the vulgar swarms that meet only
brushes and blows, suffocating smokes
and flaming lamps and windows barred
with nets
Certainly, Mr.. Editor, you will not
wonder that We are much occupied with
the subject of mosquitoes, and would
Nike information in regard to their nat,
urdI history. They seem particularly
adapted to draw blood, but | would