The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-10-15
TIE MOSOUITO.
How thu Diminutive Flend Lives ana
P%rOpngatet HIS spCCiCS.

The name mosquito is indiscriminate-
ly applied, in this and some other
countries, to various species OF Cnlex or
gnat. The term should be restricted to
the Culex mosquito but the ordinary
observer will not, of course, pause to
make fine distinctions, and every spe-
cies of gnat, troublesome or otherwise,
that comes under the popular eye, Is
carelessly called n mosquito. The fe-
male gnat or mosquito deposits her
eggs on the surface OF stagnant water,
We copy a description Of this last act
of her life from Woods "lnsects at
Home :" .
Placing her front legs on a piece OF
floating stick, straw, or anything that
will support her tiny weight, she allows
the middle pair of her legs to rest on
the surface of the water, and crosses the
hind pair so as to look like the capital
letter x. Sire then deposits a rather
long and spindle-shaped egg, and places
it uprigat, with the base downward IN
the angle of the X. Another egg is
quickly placed by the side OF The first,
and followed by others, all of which are
glued together by a cement which is not
affected by water. Guided by the
crossed legs, tho eggs are forced INTO a
boat.like shape, and are then left to
float on the surface of the water.
These little egg boats are qui @ plen-
tiful in the summertime, and any num-
Der can be taken for the purpose OF ex'
perimenting. Their shape very much
resembles that of the hte-boat now in
use, and, like the life-boat, the cgg.boat
cannot be sunk, and if capsiEed rights
itself Immediately. Even if the con
tents of the vessel be poured from q
height into the pond the little boats
float at once TO the surface like 40 many
corks, and each as it rises assume its
proper position. ,
When the larva is ready to leave the
egg it pushes of the lover end, which
opens like a little round t%rap-door, and
lets the larva-popularly called "wrig'
gIer"-out into the water. This wig
gler is the oldest little fish imaginable.
1t has u long body, a large head, and a
forhcd tail, and iumps.and jerks through
the water with q swift HiG.zag motion.
Wnen il needs to breathe, 1t comes to
tho surface and hangs head downward,
for its respiratory organs terminate III q
pipe attached TO tho lant segment OF the
body, and, thrusting this above The
water, the air is inhaled through 1t.
feeds upon microscopic insects
and PARTICLES Of vegetation and earthly
matter, and this is Of great service IN
purifying standing water, which would
otherwise breed malarial diseases. 30
the mosquito is not without its use IN
the world. Linnmts long ago showed
that if two barrels Of stagnant water be
side by aide, and one be covered
with gauze and the other left exposed,
tho second will soon be tul. OF vrlgglers
and emit 10 rrsavory Odors, while the
first, secured from the approach OF mos,
l~uitoes, will shortly become frank ana
smell TO heaven"
The wrigglof changes its skin three
in the course OF a fortnight or
three weeks. 1t then enters tbs pupa
state, and ia transformed in both shape
and condition. Its body is shortened,
rounded, and bent nearly double. In
this state it eats nothing, and remain
in rcposc. 1t is able to SWIM,
however, by alternately bending and
Strengthening its body. The respiratory
Openings OF the a%ir-tuDes are now III Inc
consequently it rests with the
head ur~ard Mt the surface OF The water.
rne skin is, Of this stage, 80 thin That
tle various menlnssS of the insect can
be seen through il, ~ shey liz "osely
'olded together. W!'en inc momeh'
zones for the perfect imrse to emerge,
he pupa straightens out on 'h4 SURFACE
If tho water, the case splits Stphe l1e
mex, and the insect swiftly and speed
~ draws itself out. 1t stands TO- AN
Instant on the nov empty shell, in ordFf
n shake out its %crulppled wings and
,llom $40 veins to fill and swell ; then it
a.a,1nGs alott, to the shrill tune 1t al
yAva s>tps N its flight, and is ready TO
iuok the bleed oi the first victim IL en-
counters. .
Tho male gnat, rhich naay be distin-
ruished by it's i~eathetsd a%ntenrie, is IN,
'ffansiye. Tho female clone is armed
n lancet, and, before she stabs,
shout our ears until We are Iran
tic Ue, murderons %instrumenS IS com,
uosed of six fine, sharp brlstles, lrc'csed
in n cylinaricnl tube, clothed with n'u-
ute fcyatncr-llke scale and terminating
In & hind OF knob. Tho sting OF hog
wound il caused by n poisonous fluid
which is injected through the proboscis:
Gnats multiply w:ta great rapidity, and
wseyeral generations are produced In n
sir~ss summer. They are attracted by
a lighS, and yet can bnSz and stab with
ont auy ic~onvenienco ~ tho dark.
The sense II smell is Rsssihed to them
by tho entonasIogist bns it seems,
from ordinary observation, to be ex-
ceedipcly blunt. & @osqnito will hum,
and hum, and hum a,asud one-well,
for hours, measuring time by the feel
ings-and, either from stupidity. or
sheer malignity- light here, and light
the g, every where but on the flesh right
unesr its nose, and then go probing
about With it's spear in a perfectly I'M
beetle way That ID, beyond everything,
exasperating. No, the inseet is II dolt
or II demon, else " would, guided by an
unerring instinct, asrt stlaight to the
right spot and suck i:s fll, and DO OF
about It's business. WO%ld it but dc
so, its visit would be dissslned OF it,
chief terrors. 1t is their prolonged
blundering-which may be intentional
and q piece of pure diabolism by whicl
they keep their singing lance towering
over us, like the sword of Damocles
every Instant likely to drop and pierce
us, that makes them such odious ant
intolerable torrents. Oue can bear thu
~severest hurt that comes unexpected
with a certain degree of courage bu'
the long,drawn. out HORRORS OF antlclpia
ton uunerve us, until we writho IL
/ despair. There is scarcely in the range
of human experience q o forcibl'
illustration Of the impotence OF mar
.L., that uhioh n pinple mOaQultO will