120 MOSQUITOES OF NORTH AMERICA 



sparser. Mid tarsi gently arcuate outwardly, with a brilliant brassy luster be- 

 neath, second and third joint silvery white on upper side, the last two dark; 

 hind tarsi with the last two joints narrowly silvery beneath, a broad silvery shade 

 at the bases of second and third joints. Mid tarsi with a single large claw, those 

 of hind tarsi unequal ; formula, 0.0-0-0.0. 



Length : Body about 3.5 mm. ; wing 2.5 mm. 



Genitalia (plate 5, fig. 32) : Side-pieces over twice as long as wide, strongly 

 tapered to tip, which is small, inner margin narrowly thickened ; a basal lobe 

 similar to side-piece in shape but only one-third as long, bearing two very long, 

 thick hairs, which exceed tip of side-piece. Clasp-filament rather stout, the tip 

 divided into small lobes, the longer one furcate and hairy, the middle one short, 

 with four stout spines, the outer one sharply pointed. Harpes elongate slender, 

 the tips bent and toothed. Harpagones and unci reduced, inconspicuous. A 

 small-pointed hairy lobe on each side. Basal appendages represented by three 

 to five leaf-like setae on each side. 



Larva, Stage IV (plate 90, fig. 286). Head rounded, hind angles roundedly 

 prominent, forming a right angle between posterior edge of occiput and lateral 

 margin behind antennas ; a very slight incision at base of antennse ; front margin 

 roundedly arcuate. Antennae small, subcylindrical, smooth, a single hair at 

 outer third ; a long spine, two short spines, and a digit on a pedicel at tip. Eyes 

 small, round. Dorsal hairs slight. Mental plate slightly triangular, the front 

 margin nearly straight, with a high central tooth and nine on each side, the 

 penultimate one small, the last still smaller, on middle of perpendicular side. 

 Mandible quadrangular; a long filament and a rudimentary one before tip; 

 an outer row of cilia from a collar ; a row of short filaments on outer margin ; 

 dentition large, on a strong process, of four teeth, the first the longest; a spine 

 before, a smooth filament and two little feathered hairs within; process below 

 deeply cleft, with long hairs at tip and an irregular row at base; basal angle 

 absent; two rows of long hairs on edge of basal articulation. Maxilla conoidal, 

 divided by a suture ; inner half with a large curved tooth at tip and a row of 

 very coarse spines on inner margin, a median row of cilia ; a row of hairs at tip 

 running well down the suture; outer half with two conjoined filaments situated 

 subapically next the suture ; a small spine on other side. Palpus small, obliquely 

 articulated, with minute terminal digits. Thorax quadrangular, slightly 

 rounded at angles, wider than long ; hairs long, lateral ones well developed, the 

 short hairs on disk of thorax in fine stellate tufts. Abdomen slender; lateral 

 hairs multiple on first two segments, double on third to fifth, single on sixth; 

 secondary hairs stellate. Air-tube moderate, about four times as long as wide, 

 slightly tapered beyond base; some single hairs scattered over tube; two or 

 three short spines on posterior margin, resembling pecten, preceded by a single 

 hair. Lateral comb of eighth segment a long patch of spines reaching to near 

 the ventral line, several rows deep, the spines smaller and narrower below; 

 single spine narrow, uniform, rounded at tip, fringed with small spinules which 

 become long at tip. Anal segment as long as broad ; dorsal plate reaching well 

 down the sides, spined on posterior edge ; dorsal tuft of long hairs ; lateral tuft 

 of two long hairs from the angle of the plate ; subventral tufts small, stellate. 

 Anal gills long, twice as long as segment, uniform, with rounded tips, all four 

 equal. 



The larvae live in the fluid that collects in the red flower-sheaths of a species 

 of Heliconia. Mr. Jennings has found them in heliconias of the type of H. 

 champneiana and H. luteofusca. The eggs are laid in the uppermost, just open- 

 ing and still dry flower-sheaths, and hatch when moisture accumulates ; this 

 moisture is not of a slimy nature, though occasionally thickened by vegetable 

 detritus. The eggs are laid singly, but in considerable numbers ; they are smooth, 

 elliptical, and black. Mr. Busck says that the habits are the same as those of 



