The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-09-14
The Mosquito.

Ano 1uVsquAtOs
There is another little lazy wroln yo,
have fed and RECALLED on your own ex
pense, and very unwillingly withal. Sh,
is by no means modest. but steals unbid
den into your room, She generally her
aids her coming with song that is any
thing but soothing, and she is SO per
severing that even the strong "bars'
with which you protect yourself are no
proof against her prosecutions. Yo.
have all, no doubt, at times exercised ,
little strategy with the musutlito. af,f
when the little torment was fairlyseftled
made dexterous movement of the hand
and, with slap, exclaimed: .sI'ye 90
him this time.'' No such thing. gyor
never got him in your life, but probabl,
have often succeeded in crlshino her
for the male mosquito is a eonsiderat.
gentleman. In lieu of the piercer of the
female he is decorated with a beautiful
plume, and has such love Of home
that he seldom .sallies forth from the
swamp where he was born. but contents
himself with vegetable. rather than ami.
NAL juices. q do not wish to make any
reflections, but in the insect world IL i
always the females which sting.) s..
But to its history. The mosquito was
not born a winged fly, and if YOU will
examine tub of rain water that has
stood uncovered and unmolested for 3
week or more during any of the summer
months, you may see it in all it's varhous
forms. You may see the female supnort.
ing herself. on the, water with her fo,r
front legs and crossing the hinder pair
like the letter <. In thissupport made by
the legs she is depositing her eggs, which
are just perceptible to the naked eve
By the aid of lens they are seen to Ne
glued together SO. as to form aYyl;t-
tie boat, which knocks about on the
water till the young hatch. And what
hatched from them? Why, these very
wrigglers which jerk away every time
you touch the water. They are destined
to live a certain period in this wateru
element, and can not take wing and ioin
their parant in her war song and h5,,sn
inyaslons, n, till after throwing off the skin
a few times, they have become full
grown, and then with another mott have
changed to what are technically known
as pnp9. In this state thev are no 3
longer able to do anything bht PATIENTLY
float with their bumped backs, on the.
surface of the water or to swim ibv ierk
OF the tail beneath after. the fashion III
a shrimp or lobster, AT the end of three
days they stretch out on the surface like
a boat, the mosquito bursts the. skim and,
gradually works out of the shell which
supports her during the critical iopera--
ton. She rests, With her long, legs ON
the surface for a few moments, till the.
wings haveSexpanded and become dryil
and then hiesTa away to fulfill her mission.
totally different animal to what she was
= few hours before, and no more able ttl5 IA
live in the water rs she did then than a,,e;
any of u.s.. Is it not wonderful that sucb
profound changes should take place n &,
shortea, time?1 Even the bird has to learn.
20 use its wings by practice and slow de-
gree. but. the mosqiiito uses her newly
:cquired organs Of flight to perfections
from the start.
lnsthis transformation from an AQUATIC
20 an aerial life the mosquito has -ffrsti
oreathed from long tube near the tail.
next, through two tubular horns near
he head, and, finally, through a series
'f spiracles along the whole body. 4 j.
From a calculation made bv Baron La
our, the mosquito in flight vibrates itss
wings {, 200 times minute-.a sraniditv..
of motion hardly conceivable.
Those who have travelled in summer, summer
m the lower Mississippi or the Nos:thlo
vest have experienced the torment which /,
lese frail flies can inf1ict. Attimes thew
triFe every one from theibeat, and trains
AN sometimes only be. run with comfort /.
m the Northern Pacific bv keeping /
nudge in the baggage car. and the doors
Il all the coaches open to the fumes.
The bravest man on Che fieetest horse
lares not cross some of the more rank !
md dark prairies of northern Minnesota
n June. 1t is well known that Father
De Smith once very nearly died of MOS
Luito bites, his flesh being so swollen
round the arms and legs that it literally
'urst.a x III ia aniT1s i0 Hafign3gCstd 4
Mosquitoes have caused the roHt ,of
rmies and the desertion of cities. s.';a,ni and /
you'd counsel all who desire to learn
low the hum of an insignificant gnat may
Inspire more terror than theroar of a lion.
consult Kirby and Spencer history Of
be former sEssg 4 14Hsg slEs sfafG n 4
There, are many species of the, mos
uito, all differing somewhat in habit
nd season of appearance, and doubtless
lso, in mode of development, which, in /
act, has been studied in but few. They
ccur everywhere, whether in the torfid
the, arctic zone, and are nowhere
1ore numerous or torrnenting than in
,apland. i'es sssiaT e3s, Il adR I7GsI
Both the fly and mosquito are great
eavengers in infancy, the one purifying
ne air we breath, the other the water vel
rink. They perform,nin this way, an
ldirect service to man which few, per-
APPS, appreciate, and which somewhat |
tones for the bad habits in maturity. -
rot. G. r Riley. H r4eta, /
"A most wonderful surgical operation
'as performed in Southington, Conn. 4
scently, which saved the life of the little |
4 y Na4 N -