380 MOSQUITOES OF XOETH AMEEICA 



with curved and expanded tip; clasp-filament large, slightly constricted beyond 

 middle, inflated at outer third and bearing a row of hairs outwardly, a stout 

 claw before tip, tip pointed and bearing a stout inserted spine. Harpes with 

 inner branch long and slender, bearing a few spines at tip. Harpagones divided 

 into several lamellae, all rather small. Basal appendages minute, elliptical, 

 oblique, setose. Last segment of abdomen divided along ventral line, widely 

 open posteriorly. 



Larva, Stage IV (plate 104, fig. 348). Head subquadrate, broad, widest 

 through eyes ; antennte long, stout, a tuft at outer third, part beyond more 

 slender, shaft spined ; dorsal upper head-hairs a. short tuft, lower long, single ; 

 ante-antennal tuft multiple. Body densely pilose, lateral abdominal hairs in 

 threes. Lateral comb of eighth segment of few spines in an elongated patch, 

 single large spines above, mixed with smaller ones centrally and becoming two 

 rows deep below. Air-tube six or seven times as long as wide, gradually and 

 slightly tapering outwardly, pecten of rather long teeth, longer outwardly and- 

 reaching to basal third of tube ; five long, multiple hair-tufts along posterior 

 margin beyond pecten, none out of line ; two small tufts on dorsal aspect ; dorsal 

 hooks large, simple. Anal segment twdce as long as wide, ringed by the plate, 

 which is pilose like the body ; dorsal tuft of two long hairs and one short hair on 

 each side ; ventral brush large, confined by the chitinous ring. Anal gills small. 



We quote the following observations on the habits from a letter by Mr. J. K. 

 Thibault, Jr., of Scott, Arkansas. 



" Culex dbominator is one of the most abundant and annoying species here, 

 especially along ponds and streams, in woods. It is to those who spend much 

 time in such places a veritable pest from July until the middle of October. They 

 are here simply by billions, and unless one has sufficient protection against them, 

 he had best stay out of the ' brakes.' The bite is very irritating, causing an 

 intense burning and swelling, not unlike that caused by the bite of Aedes 

 calopus. They bite most at dusk and early in the morning, yet in woods they 

 never entirely cease their attentions even at midday. And if one happens to be 

 two or three hundred yards out in a ' cypress brake,' where there is abundant 

 shade, they bite about as badly at noon as at any other time of the day. Out here 

 they breed in the hollow cypress trees and stumps by millions, many of them 

 probably never going ashore. I have taken them in goodly numbers in the 

 parks and cemeteries of Little Eock, and found them occasionally about dwell- 

 ings in the heart of the city. About dwellings situated near woodland streams 

 they are quite abundant. In such localities they readily enter houses and never 

 miss an opportunity to bite. They are also quite troublesome to live stock and 

 poultry; horses, mules and chickens in particular. With the exception of A?io- 

 pheles quadrimaculatus, this species is the most abundant in buggies and other 

 covered vehicles. In these they travel many miles and this is certainly a most 

 frequent means of their dissemination. I have taken them ten or fifteen miles 

 in this way and it was quite interesting to observe their actions at such times. 

 So long as the buggy is in motion, they can not be made to take flight, unless 

 you simply tear them loose by force. I have purposely put up the back curtain 

 and driven at high speed in order to create a strong draught through the buggy. 

 I have also driven quite fast over very rough ground, in order to shake them 

 loose, yet they absolutely refused to fly unless you tore them loose with hands or 

 something equally substantial. It is a common sight to see several hundred of 

 these mosquitoes in buggies that have stood unused over night. When the 

 buggy stops after being driven, the mosquitoes come out and begin biting the 

 horse or any other warm-blooded animal close by. While taken from March to 

 November, this is really a summer mosquito, being by far most abundant from 



