The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-08-27

| Washington, July 23.-Summer resort
| Americans who number the mosquito
among the inquisitive and dlstasteful
acduaintances whose presence they ma
| it impossible to ignore or condone, are
| likely to feel that their wanderlust has
not led them to the ideal section of the
world when they hear that mosquitoes
are being scientifically exterminated IN
Hawaii by means of a species of mos
,, ouito-eating goldfish which are descrIb-
ed in an official communication which
has Just reached Washington. Mos
auito-eating fish are known in the MIS-
sissippi valley, and in certain parts OF
Mexico. According to President David
Starr Jordan of Stanford University,
California, who has looked into the sub
iect, the best. species are to be found
in the streams of Central Mexico. AS
that location is rather inaccessible for
capturing fish for transportation hun
dreds of miles away, an alternative sug-
gestion was made that specimens from
the Gulf States or Florida be utilized
as experiments 1t was believed that
the duulJlOH VI oOiiC he]A
species to the Hawaiian kind would
form a combination or community of in
terests which would abode ill to the
mosquito trust of the Pacific.
The only fishes in Hawaii which feed
on the mosquitoes in small ponds are
the different kinds of gobies, locally
known as "oopu,' and the native gold
fish. All the streams have the oopu,
but there has been some difference of
opinion as to whether or not they relish
the larvae as a steady diet, or at any
rate devour them with sufficient regu-
larity to be dependable in that ca
paeity. Neither Hawaii nor California
possessed as a native fish the hardy
"top minnow,'' but on hearing from
DIR. Jordan that it was the best of the
notwithstanding fishes and could be
readily transported to the islands, Gov.
Carter brought the subject of its i'm
portation to the attention of the Terri
torial legislature and an appropriation
was voted Since that time doom OF
the mosquito has been sounded there
and the result of the experiments may
before long be ready to be diffused to
Jersey resorts, and such other sections
as request the information.
It is interesting to note the diff
culties which had to be overcome first
of all in convincing a political legisla-
ture that the proposition to introduce
and propagate mosquito eating fish was
anything more than visionary idea.
This was in spite OF the fact that the
MOSQUITO is a 9f1ocal issue' to such an
extent that there is in Honolulu an or
ganization bearing the responsible
designation of 1.-The Citizens Mos
quito Committee with prominent eiti-
zens as chairman, respectively, of the
Legislative committee and the "ad
visory committee These civic work
ers addressed a communication to Gov.
Carter transmitting an offer from Presi-
dent Jordan to provide free the services
of one of the university experts at his
institution. if the Territory would make
an appropriation for paying the scien-
tific man IS travelling expenses In his
quest Although only $500 was asked,
there was the usual difficulty in getting
the appropriation. Finally, their per-
sistence was rewarded by obtaining the
grant of the money, and the expert sug-
gested was duly sent on his mission.
This is believed to be the beginning
of the complete determination of the
mosquito from Hawaii. Heretofore the
estimate of appropriations required to
fight the pest was so high that the leg
islature refused to allot any money at
all, and the work had to be carried on
by popular subscription. Even though
1T was demonstrated that it is possible
to control the nuisance through these
means, the collection of funds met the
usual obstacles. Still, constant head
way has been made in bringing house
holders to realization of their respon-
sibilities in the matter of driving the
from their homes, and this
has released the general funds for sole
expenditure in the clearing up of the
worst breeding places close by the cities
and towns. Unfortunately for the uni !
form success of this work, however,
the main sources of trouble are the vast
taro patches, rice fields and irrigation
bitches that cannot be included in the |
work of cleaning up, without |
greatly increased expenditures. These
morasses serve as breeding grounds TO
replenish the more civilized areas near
the towns, and it is to reach them that |!
the mosquito eating fish have been or
dered.
One of the Hawaiian investigators is |
for the statement that the |
common goldfish of the islands, which |
abound in great numbers, feed to a |
large extent upon Young and tender |
Proof of this was recorded |
in an aquarium experiment, in which a |
single goldfish ate nearly 200 larvae in |
the course of two days confinement I'M
der observation.
Because of these inquiries in Hawaii, |
as well as the investigations of Presi- |
dent Jordan, DIR. Leland o. Howard |
the Government entomologist, and other
scientific men, the hope of freeing the |