Swamp Eagles

Among the mosquito capitals of the world, the salt marshes of New Jersey, home of the "swamp eagle," still holds its own. Last week many a newborn Jersey swamp eagle had its first taste of human blood. The donor: Dr. Willem Rudolfs, New Jersey agricultural experiment station researcher.

Every year Dr. Rudolfs makes a trade with the swamp eagles: He gives them blood, they give him information. Not many availed themselves of the trade last week as the Jersey mosquitoes have not yet attained their summer cloud proportions. When plentiful later on in the summer they will give Dr. Rudolfs at least ten bites per minute.

On his excursions he covers one side of his face, one hand and arm with a chemical, then notes the reaction of the mosquitoes to the substance. Before setting out on another mosquito-hunt last week he published a pamphlet, the work of four years, for the benefit of involuntary mosquito feeders. Following is a summary of his observations on mosquito lotions:

.............................................................Time before ..................Time before

....................................................................ali ghting .........................biting

Material ............................................(minutes) ..........................(minutes)

Pyrethrum extract

(with petrolatum) ..................................60 .....................................80

Thuja ........................................................68 .....................................68

Anisic Aldehyde ......................................40 ....................................60

Citral* ........................................................59 ....................................59

Cinnamic Aldehyde.................................40 ....................................50

Pennyroyal ................................................14..................... ................27

Bergamont .................................................26.................... .................26

Cloves ........................................................25 ......................................25

Ginger .........................................................10 ......................................18

Citronella .....................................................15 .....................................17

Juniper berries ...........................................16 .....................................16

Lime .............................................................15........ ...............................15

Wintergreen, artificial ..................................15 .....................................15

Bitter almond .................................................12 ....................................12

Lavender .........................................................7 .........................................7

Skunk cabbage ...............................................6 ........................................6

The mosquito, like most insects, is far stronger, relative to size, than any mammal. Its jaws have been called "more powerful than an elephant's . . . [with ] fang structure more terrible than the tiger's." After two weeks of data gathering the exposed parts of Dr. Rudolfs' body will be raw from hundreds of bites.

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