The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-07-01
MOSQUITO Lore.

Il
Mosquito Lore.
Uncle Sam with due paternalistic
regard for bis children, has prepared a
little book on the household insects of
the United States wherein much inter-
esting information is set forth relative
to sundry chronological pests which
make life a burden even within the
sacred precincts of the home circle. In
this brochure the mosquito occupies
the POST of honor. and it may be a
source of melancholy satisfaction to
| learn that there are no less than thirty
one different kinds of these predatory
gnats which seek to quench their
Unsuitable thirst with human gore.
Eight different kinds Of mosquitoes
inhabit the District of Columbia alone,
and, Judging by the multiplicity Of bills
presented in Congress, they WELD an
important influence in legislation
The larva of the mosquito is known
to the unscientifc as a Wiggle tail. Z
His habitat is in barrels of rainWater
and ponds and bitches, where he hangs
head dovnwards in the aqueous ele-
ment, apparently taking no heed Of
the morrow, breathing through his
tail in the meantime. The manner in
which this function is performed is
| lucidly explained by the government
bug man. who takes the reader into
his confidence for the purpose The
ninth segment of the larya's abdomen
is, it seems, fitted with four gill flaps
and six hairs, and also with a large
trachea which is open at the tip of the
respiratory tube. By means of this
convenient arrangement the Wiggletail
whiffs the balmy breezes at his own
sweet will. After much anxious cog
litation on the subject the bug expert
is of the opinion that the gill flaps may
be functional as bronchial structures
in the young wiggletail, although they
get over il later on, In due time, by
complicated process something like a
man working bis way into a tight
overcoat, the wiggletail rips himself up
the back, and 10, a full grown mosquito
steps out armed and equipped for
/ business.
The family name of the mosquito is
Culex, and, Judging by the numbers of
the tribe, is equivalent to that of Smith
in the genus homo. His baptismal
name is various, and is generally APP
piled with reference to certain personal
characteristic of the particular Culex.
For instance, there is CuIex excitan8,
@. excrucians, e. perturbans, c. pun
gems, @. stimulans, etc.
Contrary to general opinion there are
more mosquitoes in Texas than in New
Jersey, and it will doubtless be a source
of great satisfaction to Jerry Simpson
and other populists to know that a
strong colony Of very large and yora-
ciou8 mosquitoes from the latter state
has found acongenial home in London,
where the members pay particular at
tention to the plutocrats of Lombard
street.
There is much difference of opinion as
to the mosquitoes song, some experts
affirming that the noise comes from his
larynx, like Bryan's; others say it is
caused by rubbing his bristles together
/ in fiendish glee at the Sight Of a fresh
victim, but all agree that bis bark is
| fully as bad as his bite, ifnot worse.
It is not often that the government
/ perpetuates a joke, officially, but this is
certainly the case in the pamphlet
under consideration. The statement is
made with we'll dissembled gravity that
/ Culex's normal food is nothing but the
sweet juices of tender plants, and that
he much prefersa draught of sparkling
dew to tapping a vein for drink Of
| blood. This is entirely too diaphanous
and the millions whose sanguineous cir
culation has been contracted by Guilt
cidean phlebotomy will enter their pro-
| test at this attempt to make light Of
their woes Notwithstanding the fact
| that mosquitoes have been seen lunch
| ing off coldpotato or watermelon rind
and have sometimes eTinced a liking
for molasses and have even been known
to drink beer, everybody knows that
! Culex is a blood drinker, conamore,
and there is no use in the government
| trying to paniate the fact.
why Paw Rent?