Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-08-09


likely TO see pcrched on the outside
of the wire screen at least two or
three mosquitoes of the masculine
persuasion. 1t is not Il habit of theirs
to enter human dwcllings-simply be-
cause they do not bite. They are not
able to bite, indeed. being unprovidoi
with the necessary cutting and p.ood
sucking apparatus.
Those perchod on the outside are
merely waiting for the lady mosquI-
toes to come out of the restaurant.
so TO speak. One might imagine them
singing:
Here am | waiting on the screen
Waiting on the screen
Waiting on the screen.
And any OF us might reply:
His Wife she ate me,
AS matter of fact, however. the
gentleman mosquito cannot sing u
note-this heing another point in
which tho female of his species has
the advantage of him. 1t is asked
For what purpose Is the vocali1atinn
of the lady insect intended? The
answer Is that it is undoubtedly to
attract the male. Any notion we may
have entertained to the effect that il
is meant to delight our own cars with
harmonious rounds in the still watches
OF the night is mistake
Ears In His Whiskers.
In order that he may hear and Ell.
Joy the sweet song of his mate the
gentleman mosquito Is provided with
the highly developed whIskcrs afore
said. which are in reality auditory APP.
paratus. Experiments were made not
lAutr which thpt t1t.. l,..ir
OF these antcnnac, as scientists call
them, will vibratc sympathctically in
response 10 certain musical notes,
strung with tuning forks. This, IT is
believed. Is what happens when II lady
mosquito is In the ncighborhood. her
song conveying to the male In the
manner described a knowledge of her
nearncss.
A curious fact is that mosquitoes o,
different species sing in different
keys. Thus the much dreaded Ano-
pheles, which is solely responsible for
the distribution of malaria, pitches
her voice much lower than the yellow
fever mosquito. Stegomyin; SO that
the music of the one is easily distin-
guishcd from that OF the other To
the disturbed sleeper 1t is gratifying
is threatening him at the moment:
but it seems likely that this arrange
mcnt has an important usefulness In
enabling each gentleman mosquito to
recognize the call OF the lady of his
own species.
The song of the mosquito is produc-
cd not by her wings. as used To he
imagined, hut from her throat. II is
true voice. She sings just as ca
nary bird sings. But even the volume
of her voice depends largely upon the
species to which she belongs. Some
species of mosquitoes, like those
found most plcntifully at Cape May.
do very little singing. being strictly
business"
Never Has Square Meal.
Among mosquitoes 1t would seem
to be misfortune to be of male soX,
inasmuch as the gentleman insect
does know what 1t Is to ket square
meal during his entire lifetime. But
it should be realized that diet of
blood is not necessary to him, where
as it Is something the female canno;
get along without. She is obliged to
lay eggs, and for them she must pro
vide substantial material. Ii is for
this reason. and not through mere
greed for gore, that she uses her Ian
Get.
The lady mosquito lays upon the
surface of still water boat shaped
| mass of eggs which weighs something
Ike one-fifth as much as her whole
body. She must have stuff out oil
which to make them, and the rcuui
site material Is furnished by single
good sized drop of blood. which som,
human being or other animal Is tx
nectcd to supply. When we are bit
ten. therefore, we have the satsfac
ton of knowing that we are proyidins
substance out of which fresh lroot
| OF mosquitoes will be Matched.
Mosquitoes arc very ancient iii
| seets. They have been found fossiliz
| ed in rocks millions of years old-in
| Guiding one species called Culex dam
natorum tgnat of the damncd). which
was of extraordinary size. In so grca
n length OF time, during which onll
the females had any use for blood, tn,
long disused biting organs of til,
males have become mere rudiments
so that the gentleman mosquito of Ia
| day could not possibly perform. ever
| If he so wished. the difficult surgical
operation by which his mate procure.
supply of gore. He does feed upoi
The juices OF plants, and is Otter
found reposing inside OF flowers
which afford sustenancc adequat,
for his purposes.
; The so called bite OF mosquito
however, is not, properly speaking. /
bite at all, but sting. She is Pre-
vidcd with bcnk nearly half as lon;
as her body, which contains, neatl,
packed away, wonderful little set o
surgical instruments, inconccvabl