CULEX MELANURUS 455 



suture, the spine on the other side long. Palpus very small, but the four termi- 

 nal digits long and slender. Thorax rounded, wider than long; hairs abundant, 

 very long, anterior thoracic ones twice the length of head. Anterior abdominal 

 segments short, posterior ones elongated; lateral tufts of first two segments 

 multiple, those of third to fifth double, of sixth single ; secondary hairs well de- 

 veloped. Tracheal tubes narrow, linear, expanded in metathorax, separated in 

 seventh segment. Air-tube long, straight, scarcely tapered, about eight timea 

 as long as wide ; pecten on basal third, of short teeth with a single basal branch, 

 followed by a row of little tufts along posterior margin. Lateral comb of eighth 

 segment a series of bar-shaped spines in a single row, each spine with a long 

 tapered base and feathered margins. Anal segment about twice as long as 

 broad, ringed by the plate ; a dorsal hair and a tuft on each side ; a small lateral 

 tuft; ventral brush moderate, confined to the barred area. Anal gills scarcely 

 as long as the segment, slightly tapered. 



Culex melanurus passes the winter as fully-grown larva. The larvae fre- 

 quent permanent water, usually springs in marshes. There are, ajoparently, 

 several broods during the season, the larvae of the last brood remaining un- 

 changed in the water throughout the winter. Dr. Dyar first found them in 

 pools of some depth in cracks in rocks on an island in Lake Winnepesaukee (New 

 Hampshire). The eggs are apparently laid singly on the water surface. Dr. 

 Dyar found them in a pail of water that he had dipped from a spring-pool and 

 carried to the house. On examining this water, after it had been carried home, 

 two small whitish-gray specks were noticed, floating separately upon the surface. 

 These proved to be eggs of this species, and afterward hatched, one of them 

 developing into an adult. It does not seem probable that there could have been 

 a mass of eggs which had been broken up by dipping the water ; but as yet no 

 other observation upon the eggs has been made in confirmation of this habit. 

 The late Professor J. B. Smith of New Jersey made the following observations : 



" Practically nothing is known of the habits of the adnlt ; but it is reasonably 

 certain that the species does not bite. It must be fairly abundant at Lahaway in 

 May, but Mr. Brakeley has never taken it either in his room captures or in the 

 field, day or night. No specimens have been taken by any of the collectors in 

 their general gatherings. 



" From time to time Mr. Brakeley had mentioned in his letters a ' bronze 

 wriggler ' which occurred in woodland springs, very late in the season, specimens 

 being taken up to the middle of November; but no attempt was made to breed it 

 until, after a specimen had been sent to Dr. Dyar, who pronounced it melanurus, 

 a species originally taken by him in New Hampshire. In the winter of 1902-'03 

 Mr. Brakeley determined to test his belief that these larvae hibernated in that 

 condition and found that there were several places on his land where they could 

 be found other than the springs, nearly or quite all of which had a greater or 

 smaller supply. The chief point of interest was a stretch of swampy bog land 

 that had been burnt over early in 1903, the fire eating through the moss in places 

 and leaving a mass of irregular holes, varying in size and depth. Some of these 

 were partly closed by vegetation covering in from the edges and making an over- 

 hang. The ground was springy and there were numerous springs round the 

 edges, so that the water was always cold and usually clear ; but with a flocculent 

 sediment which was readily stirred up. 



"January 9, 1903, with the thermometer 9 degrees above zero, the entire swamp 

 was frozen solid. January 23d broke the ice on likely pools and made about a 

 dozen dips in as many places. Nothing was found and the inference is that the 

 insects shelter either in the mud or under the overhanging vegetation. January 

 30th, during a mild spell, collections were made in pools from which the ice had 



