The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-23
Fncts About aEosauitocs.


Washington, August 27.-The twenty
issued by the department of agriculture,
deserves wider notice than the short
press summary already made of its con-
tents. DR.. Howard, entomologist of the
department tells in this pamphlet how
mosquitoes become intoxicated and also
tries to solve such problems as how far
a mosquito can fly. and whether he can
live happily without devouring man. As
to the latter query, DR.. Howard answers
in the affirmative. According to the best
available information, the mosquito was
not made to prey on human beings, or
any other warm blooded animal. Bill
lions of the insects live where no warm
blooded animal ever comes; they are
morn and die. without eating anything
but vegetable food and there is no reas-
on to believe that they are less happy
than the domesticated variety in New
Jersey. which lodges in at the screen
door, and waits for darkness and the sea-
son Of repose to fall afoul of the in
mates of the house.
Next to making a nuisance of himself
the mosquito delights in intoxicating
"A r.
the department that he has observed a
male mosquito slipping beer, while DR..
ST George Gray of Castries. St Lucia,
British West Indies. reports a more flag
rant case: 81 put a few male mosoui-
toes under a bell for one day to watch
them" he writes, land I put a single
drop Of port wine there. as ! had heard
that mosquitoes could be kept alive for
a time on IL. When 1 went 10 look at
them a few hours later I found them all
apparently dead, SO I put them in
dry bottle, intending 10 pin them later.
But when I went 10 do so a few min
utes afterwards they were all staggering
about in a most ridiculous manner
The really savage mosquitoes are found
In the extreme northern regions. and our
customary experiences withe the insects
sound mild compared with the accounts
Of Kirby and Spence; they tell Of swarms
in Lapland so dense that It becomes i'm
possible to breathe without filing the
mouth and nostriIs full with them. In
the neighborhood Of Crimea. also. II Is
said. the Russian soldiers were obliged 70
sleep inaacks to defend themselves from
the mosquitoes. and even this was rot
sufficient security. for frequently soldiers
died in consequence Of gangreue pro-
duced By the bites Of these furious blood
suckers. The same historian says else
where that Capt Stedma7. in this coun-
Try. as proof Of the dreadful state 70
which he and his soldiers were reduced.
mentions that they were forced "a sleep
with their heads thrust into holes made
in the earth with their bayonets, and
their necks wrapped round with their
hammocks.
Il IS the conclusion q DR.. Howard -hst
tlosouitoes can not ~ long distances.
though they may b carried by 4 strong
wIre fifteen miles. The radius % eight
= important IN discussing Methods for
ahzting the mosquito nuisance. for -
they car 20 where they will 4 does 1T
lie good to exte-Tninate tharn fl any 10
caIltv Bat the success which has re-
suited from many local experiments
shows that the nsosQJto 5oes not trsvsl
long distances. The uost effective meth
Cd for waginE var on the Nttie pest has
beer found to b The pouring q kerosene
over the nsrshy places where trsv
breed 4 haTrel y - crude ~ vii cover
square miles % swamp lands s1s save
Summer rsa0-t rom a Eesa11s p3zEse.
This remedy Is safety bsyand TIE stage
q experiment Another plan. Ehea * e.
ras iztrcduce1 tnfo tss breefsuF waters
earn and osher suzu Ssh wSsch sExeBr
ere eggs = the -ucseaffo 4rsthsr Te-a-
essy e - drain Ire ezzzre ard stffi AZ
r.heT Is 20 nlsnt sscz3yyzszs trees Tne-a
e ears. se-zsla tss-tze-y - ne e-ect
that ,hia tree VII e-sve .ksz away. zns
thst a b-anch = . ~ tbs EsIiow a.
rsxt.t ell sdcra 7--sec1toa - ~ a5ae7- /
- q H rather tzsr-zctsrai way 80
dragon ~ r q remedy aFss-st rznsqfs-
sesss a. he sseas upa1 sher ~ every
stage Z ~ varesa Gfe ezrse-. wSsa ]
earfsrz asorss r. 1bs ar - - seerzs . !
e Eslrrr -s- - g srsrsnE - 7szaEifnss. /
To- tesg E-osec11- zEzsnss zsnaa1fsoes ]
srea-ss-z - rT. Hexers = - nsr - /
zers~-s snE Sas-z =sfA ssre~s.s he !
zsxs z-SxstE as saTnssx q syrsssszz !