The Washington times., 1922-07-09
Mosquitoes
Are Friends
SCIENTIST Who has been

-
nal that mosquitoes are friendf.
little things who bear no grudg'
against mankind. Their intentioni
are often misconstrued.
We have never thought thal
mosquitoes had any manners
They certainly do not observe any
Of the cut and dried formulas Of
polite society. We have never
known one to wait for an intro
duction, and some Of them have
been the greatest bores we have
ever seen.
Mosquitoes, according to thii
scientist, are sensitive by nature
and should be treated with kind.
ness. To slap at them only angerl
them and hurts their feelings
They should be petted and talked
10 and entertained. Once trained,
they make very coinpanionable
household pets.
This II news 10 . great many
people who have acquired their
experience with mosquitoes in New
Jersey and on Long Island The
New Jersey bird Il famous the
world over. but he has nothing in
particular on his Long Island rela.
tive. ..-.
Lsng Island mosquitoes are
called Cumming BIRDS" but there
really ID little resemblance, except
a to size. The humming bird has
. much hner disposition and .
much shorter bill. >. .~
When q Long ISLANDER goes to
bed at night he looks in the mirror.
because he knows hS will look en-
tirely different in the morning.
His typographical aspect viii be
changed with numerous new hill
locks. mountain ranges and . red
nose here and there, and, perhaps,
IN eye or two swollen shut.
II h occasionally posnNs to
shoot one Of these Long is,and
mosquitoes, but he will almost In
variably limp away, taking tie
bullet with him.
The mosquito Of this species has
Ill the temperament Of the grand
opera singer and is easily reused
to anger. In fact, he Il mad all
the time and hence has q very even
disposition. He makes himself
perfectly at home wherever he
goes. always helps himself and ID
very cosmopolitan in his tastes. II
In almost impossible to snub him
In social way. When people put
up wire screens to keep him out
he bites the wires In two and joins
the party just a. though nothing
had happened.
He carries the most complete
boring outfit known in the insect
kingdom. He could easily scuttle
. steel ship and he goes through
. derby hat like hired man going
through a custard pie.
The natives Of Long Island will
be difficult to convince that the
mosquito Is a kindly soul with
amicable intentions If treated
right. They have tried all sorts
of treatment with little or no sue
cess.
Owing to their immense size,
II has been impossible to evolve
. method Of exterminat ating these
birds. The natives, however, fol-
low one general plan. This is to
single out one mosquito and chase
him around the room with clubs
until he Ii .fatigued and covered
with perspiration, then chase him
downstairs and outdoors. When
he rushes out Of doors all covered
with perspirstion he strikes the
night air and contracts pneumonia.
This, Of course, lessons his fighting
force.
Then they ehsss him back in
the house and ~ he stasgsrs about,
groggy, dash some mosquito pow
der In his faes, which blinds him.
While he Il staggering around
blinded they him him IN the head
with . baseball bat % ironing
board. This method, II repeated,
win XIII of all the mosquitoes Z
the house In due eourss Of tims,
About six hundred years ID be.
hsvsd 70 Be the approximate time
h Win take. The discoveries Of
the mesquite scientist are worthy
Of attention, but II must be taken
Tor granted that he never lived on
Long Island nor pursued his in.
vsstigstiens there.