Nebraska advertiser., 1858-08-19

IdliOll al e llCl III t41C t4iOi oA' L uC pupd
soon passes through its final transforma-
tion and the skin which it cast off for the
last time, is used as a raft, upon which it
takes Its station till its wings are fully
Developed and ready for use. 1t then
quits its aquatic abode, and sallies forth
into the world equipped in all the appoint
ments of the musketo.
Now all these changes spoken of above
and which are accomplished in about four
weeks, in the warm summer months, re-
quire a constant supply of clear water;
and for want of this element during the
past season, [ 1854, the Culex has been
deprived of the proper facilities for pro-
pagating its kind in the country. In some
localities in the city, Cisterns and other
small collections Of standing water have
been sufficiently numerous and accessible
for the Culex to rear It's young. Several
broodS are raised in the course of one
season. Late in the month of November
he found the bodies of the females dis
tented with Ova.
Musketoes are able to survive quite
severe hardships and reverses of fortune;
| can accommodate themselves to light or
darkness, sometimes to extremes of heat
or cold, and to scarcity or plenty, and yet
not die. In the fall of the year they are
very fat, and most Of them die at this
period, as is the case with flies and IN
sects, generally, of this order; but some
Of them take refuge in cellars and COM
paratively warm and obscure retreats,
where they survive through the winter
months, and early in the spring reappear,
| greatly emaCiated to be sure, but as active
and buoyant as ever, and with their vora-
city increased to the highest pitch.
The musketo finds a mortal enemy in
the elegant and swift-winged insect, L.
6eLiula Sc0ttca, known as the dragon fly,
or 'deviI's darning needle" During the
hot days of summer, this beautiful preda-
! tory insect may be seen with It's gauze-
like wings darling with astonishing swift
ness, in every direction in the Immediate
neighbOrhood Of stagnant waters, where
1t watches the movements of the myriadS
of musketoes and their young, which it
devours in great numbers.
Although the insects whose national
history we have been contemplating, ma
nlfest such an inyincible thirst for human
blood, as their favorite aliment, probably
not one IN many millions ever tastes a
particle Of it. Their abodes are mostly
in deep forests and in low, marshy
grounds, far away from the habIatons
Of man; and their nutriment consists al.
most exclusively of water, and vegetable
juices, such as are deposited on leaves
plants, the various grasses, flowers, &c.
especially during the hot seasons wher
vegetable life is most active.
And here, without taxing our fancy, he
thought we had solution of the question
which Is so often propoundcd: TO wha
good purpose or end in the grand econo.
my Of nature, was this tribe of insect:
created" BY continually mnbibing il
minute quantities the vegetable particle:
above alluded to, they prevent a decom
position of the latter, which if it shoulC
take place, might charge the atmosphere
with maIariouS element, and render /
a source Of desease to man. Thus, while
: these despised little animals are continu
ally at work in carrying off the eH'et,
matters from the smaller vegetable
growths, they at the same time act a
scavengers-he would use a worthie
term-thcy serve as commissioners O
: health to the human family. And if fo
few times in the course of the year W
are called upon to spare a homupathi
quantity of blood, as a luxury to some 0
the hungry mothers of the race, it
scarcely the part of wisdom or beneyolenc
in US to wish the entire family annihil
0 ated.