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G. A. C. HERKLOTS
ECONOMIC USE.- Shoots of this plant with unopened or just developing flowers are sold on a very large scale at the time of the Chinese New Year Festival, (the first week in February). When placed in water in a warm room the buds on these branches develop and the flowers open. The New Year Flower is extremely popular with the Chinese so much so that it has had to be rigidly protected in Hong Kong and the British Territories. Mr. V. H. C. Jarrett has dealt with the protection of Enkianthus in his article Protection of Wild Plants in Hong Kong," H.K.N. Ill pps. 99-105. Since it has been protected it has increased considerably in abundance on the slopes of the Hong Kong hills.
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FLOWERING PERIOD. The middle of January to the middle of February; occasional flowers may be found as early as Christmas and as late as early April.
LOCALITIES.-Widely distributed on Hong Kong Island and in the Territories. Mount Cameron, the hills above the Tai-tam reservoirs, Mount Violet and Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island are particularly favoured localities. REFERENCES. (1) Bentnam, p. 200 (3) D. and T., p. 154.
REFERENCES.
(1). Bentham, G. B. Flora Hongkongensis," 1861.
(2). Crook, A. H. "The Flowering Plants of Hong Kong, Ranunculaceae
to Meliaceae," 1930.
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(3). Dunn, S. T., and Tutcher, W. J. 'Flora of Kwangtung and Hong
Kong," 1912.
..
(4). Groff, G. W. Plants of Lungt'aushan." Science Bulletin No. 2,
Lingnan University, Canton, 1930.
(5). Hu, H. H., and Chun, W. Y. "Icones Plantarum Sinicarum,"
Fascicle II, 1929.
44
(6). Hutchinson, J. The Families of Flowering Plants." Vol. I 1926. (7). McClure, F. A. "Plants of Lan t'au Island. I." Science Bulletin
No. 3, Lingnan University, Canton, 1931.
"
(8). Rendle, A. B. The Classification of Flowering Plants." Vol. II,
1925.
[207]
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF MOSQUITOES.
THEIR LIFE HISTORY, AND THE DISEASES WHICH THEY CARRY, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HONG KONG. R. B. JACKSON.
GOVERNMENT MALARIOLOGIST, BACTERIOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, HONG KONG.
From time to time, one receives samples of various kinds of insects sent in for identification, which the sender erroneously considers to be mosquitoes.
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Frequently one hears descriptions of biting flies, called mosquitoes, which from the size mentioned-namely that of the head of a large pin, are likely to be of the genus Lasiohelea, which correspond to what are known midges" in the British Isles. Such, on hot summer afternoons, torture sleepy fishermen and annoy lively picnic parties. In order to avoid these crrors an examination of the wing of the insect in question is necessary; this can be easily accomplished by the aid of a pocket lens with a magnification of 10 diameters.
On reference to the diagram it will be seen that the wing has a fringe of scales (in the case of elderly or badly damaged mosquitoes the fringe will be most likely denuded). The veins are clothed with scales, not hairs, and are arranged after a certain fashion.
The vein which runs half way across the field of the wings is the third, above it is the 2nd which is forked, below the 3rd is the 4th which is also forked, and below the 4th is the 5th which is forked, the 6th is below the 5th and is simple. An insect with such a wing arrangement is a mosquito.
Fringe
6th vein
ord, vein
Suth vein
vein
I
The Hong Kong Naturalist.
Diagram of wing of mosquito.
The female mosquito lays eggs on or near water, the eggs are laid by some species in clusters or rafts, other species lay their eggs singly. The choice of water varies greatly, some kinds will lay only in natural collections of water such as streams, swamps, springs, rock pools, or in collections of water resembling natural ones: other kinds lay their eggs in the water in tins large or small, bottles broken or whole, coconut shells, gully traps, house spoutings, septic tanks, Shanghai jars, plates or saucers under flower pots, water-closets not in constant use and even in urine jars. Every collection of water should be suspect until proved otherwise. The eggs of some
December 1932.
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