Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-08-02
The@lex.

su ri acc. so fragile are these little ships that
i slight breeze should arise they would sudden
ly become immersed and more than three hun.
dred embryonic mosquitoes would perish be-
meath the wave with each wreck. These little
living vessels are launched every month and
after floating about III the warm sun for two OIL
three days, they suddenly fall to pieces from
the hstching ofth egg. The little grubs thu.
set free are uoiicible FOR their peculiar shape
an oval head and long slender tail, from the
peculiar movements of which, Is thcy dive. be-
meath The surface OF the water, they doubtless
obtained among the boys the unscentiiic name
.poiywoys. In this state they remain fol-
three or four weeks, after which they turn &c
ehrysalids. They arc now enveloped in THU
covering through which all the parts OF III
winged iusec. can be clearly seen. Alter q
fast OF Two or throe days this wonderful little
creature bursts his bands turning his shroud
into boat OF which his body is the mast and
his wings the sails. Yet even now he is in a,
much danger of shipwreck before, for if i
sudden wind should strike him before he be-
comes entirely detached from his former cell,
the water would enter his vessel and swamp
him. But if the air is quiet he sit. in his boat.
self i'll the sun, stretches his wings aud saies
forth the seourge of swampy di,triets-the ill.,
visible tormentor of waAeful nights. The
sting which 10 the naked eve seems ba; tube,
is no more than shield for his weapons With
in this are five or six sPlcula Of exquisite mi
nuteuess, some OF them sharp ike razor and
others deutaled like the bead of an arrow. With
these spicula the insect pierces the 1esh, pen-
etrates to the veins and iliects into them i
small amount of luid By means Of which the
! blood is rendered thinner, and is more easily
drawn forth. The liquor niected causes dl.
agreeable itching, aud 10 some persons i, very
poisonous.
As for the nature and habits of the culex
| They are the most villianous race in existence
You shall meet them at ali hours of the day or
night, in the city and i'll the country. Neither
y, nor age, nor utiruity is free from their AL
tacks. Li.e the Wandering jew they are COS
mopolitan, and are everywhere \ seourge to
society.
| By careful observation Of their habits
have found that they are organized into curps
farmee after The example oi more CT, uized Or.
ders OF being. Zach of these corps eon,.s.s oi
cd res pec,iveiy the right and lettwing from the
ease aud rap!dlty with which they move upon
that member OF their bodies one oI sSppers ana
miners whose especial wUrA Is to secure en-
trance to the room Of the sleeper, and 10 uu-
dermiue the netting in the security Of which
the besieged household has fallen asleep all
other of musicians. luis last division is quite ~
important rs any other. Ii Is retained e>peci-
ally ior night service, and Is very useful i'll ind
ING out the locality oi the enemy. hi. Is dVue
By oiowiug their trumpet which causes certain
spasInodlc Efforts OH The part oi the sleeper IL
cXpcii tie intruder, and thus Indicates the
exact position vi the victim. II SERVES also ~
divert the attention from the sappcrs aud min
ers, who generally begiD their work in the
neishborh1od VI The feet. ooinc have suppos-
ed that the music Of the cucX wa. occ1sioued
by the rapid movements OF their win ;. bui
this is not true. After burning of their " ings
1 have found them quite capable oi blowing
their trumpet before. Indeed l have oileu
thus disnouutcd them for no other PURPOSE
than to concentrate their music. By careiuI
-tuuy have been able to interpret the mean.
lug vi their different notes, aud have discover
Ell u perfect system vi signals 20 be used in
night attacss aud skirmishcs. Thus on man.
i warm summer night have learned the en-
tire plan OF bstue though not an enemy hi,
been visible. As one oil The objects of tn. mu
sic is to arouse the sleeper, it would naturally
be expected that At times, the Loisc Of the
trumpet would be exceedingly great; and such
Lave found 10 be the fact. On one occasion
wtawakencd by a note as startling AS the
I A..
half wakeful SAUNDERS | verify believed that
WAS once more Oh the field Of battle and that
the order h;.d come 10 advance on the enemy.
For The general truth Of what has been said /
appeal to the experience of all afflicted, but
sane people. Wearied by the cares and heat
of the day you have retired for rest.
shutting too the door you proceed 10 drive out
from cover any mosquitoes who may be lying
in wait TO disturb your siumbers. Having sue
ceeded amer many trip,and fail, and brusc. in
dispatching several Of the cneiny, and driving
the res; rs you suppose from the room, YOU
throw yourself uptn the bed with the self
satisfaction Of Herr yons Topplenoze after he
had killed the troublesome fly. But you have
hardly rested your head upon the pillow whcn
the trumpet sounds the coming Of the enemy.
You await his approach with n most vigorous
determination to annihia,e him If once lie
settles down upon your flesh. Now the notes
are clearer, more distinc, nearer, and then
from the peculiar flourish AS Of a trumpet, you
know that he has slighted. You raise your
hand above him and bring it down upon your
face with such ygor to send OFF bright scn-
tillations from Your quvering optics But you
congrat ulatc Yourself that you have killed your
toI mentor and soothe, the pain which you have
caused yourself by the reflection tina, You will
be no more disturbed during the night. Yet you
have hardly recovered from the pain Of your
first blow, when the unnli.takabie buzz anuoun-
ces the return of Your Old enemy. whom you
yainly imagined crushed 10 death; and in this
case il is with Reinforcement For having
discovered your exact locality and the nature Of
your defence, he il prepared to lead others on
to the attack. Now begins contest during
which you make your ears tingle with frequent
bookings, keep up continual display of fire.
| works before your eyes, and with swollen lips
are seriously conscious that You arc coming on
second best. Your temper is aroused. You
can with difficulty refrain from short and ner-
voiis explosives andapostrophics TO your as-ai-
lants. and at last, in despair you jump from the
he'd, light the gas, and with slippers and pillow
case charge upon the enemy and drive him from
the room. Resting on the spols OF your inglo-
rious victory, YOU contrive Il curtain OF netting
with which You envelope your bed. Having
completely adjusted it, and examined it to see