476 MOSQUITOES OF ^"OETH AMERICA 



be confounded with C ill ex or AccJes. The lar^re size is generally a help, as few 

 of the other non-predaceous forms attain any such size as the species of Ciiliseta. 

 The first separation of these species from Ciilex is due to Xeveu-Lemaire, who 

 separated them under the name Theohaldia, on the characters of the presence 

 of the small terminal joint of the female palpi, but mixed with them some aedid 

 forms which have also this joint. In fact, ^sTeveu-Lemaire's classification sepa- 

 rates only Culiseta and Aedes as against Culex. The application of the name 

 Theohaldia to this group is due to the specification of the species annulatus 

 Meigen as the type by Neveu-Lemaire. The name Theohaldia is too near the 

 previous Theohaldius Nevill to be accepted and we therefore adopt Felt's term, 

 Culiseta, which antedates Blanchard's substitute for Theohaldia, Theohdldinella 

 Blanchard. Culiseta, as proposed by Dr. Felt, covers only the species with un- 

 spotted wings ; we have added the others. Coquillett has attempted to separate 

 Culiseta into two genera, but to do so was obliged to use characters of coloration 

 and wing spotting, which are not admissible in generic definition. We have had 

 no opportunity to examine specimens of Pseudotheohaldia niveitceniata, from 

 India, but do not hesitate in referring it here from Theobald's description and 

 figures (Mon. Culic, iv, 271-274, 1907) . We think Culex pettigrewii Theobald 

 (Eecords Ind. Mus., iv, 15-17, 1910; Mon. Culic, v, 351-353, 1910), from 

 India, also will be found to belong here. The genus is a uniform and compact 

 one, containing but few species. Five species are recognized in Europe, all with 

 spotted wings. We think that there will be found to be one or more representa- 

 tives with unspotted wings, when the species now classed under Culex have been 

 more competently studied. 



Of the six American Culiseta the larvae of three are known to us. They are 

 extremely similar in structure and appearance, so much so that it is difficult to 

 distinguish one species from another. The characters which we have given in 

 the table to separate the species are not very definite, nor, we fear, very certain. 

 As a genus, however, the larvae are distinguishable at a glance, for no other mos- 

 quito has the peculiar stnictures of the air-tube shown in these forms, with its 

 single tuft situated near the base of the tube, the pecten followed by a row of 

 long hairs. So far as they are known, the habits of the species are similar, 

 differing only in the relative susceptibility to domestication. We are familiar 

 with three species, and a fourth (maccraclcena; Dyar & Knab) has been observed 

 by Miss Isabel McCracken in California. The larvse all inhabit permanent 

 water, in the wild state frequenting secluded pools in marshes, most frequently 

 holes left by over-turned trees or pools in stream-beds ; in the domesticated state, 

 any water receptacle, usually a water barrel. As larvae, the development is not 

 very rapid, as they have no need to hurry through their stages on account of 

 danger of evaporation of their water supply. The eggs are laid in boat-shaped 

 masses, floating on the water. The species all pass the winter by hibernating 

 as adults. Several of the European species as larvge occur in artificial receptacles, 

 but only one of the American species does so in any degree (incidens Thom- 

 son) : the rest have not been observed to breed in any artificial receptacle unless 

 well-holes, or portions of a lake cut off by clay banks can be regarded as such. 

 We have found inornatus larvae in such situations. The larvje subsist upon the 

 small particles in suspension in the water. They can not be classed as scav- 

 engers, for they inhabit clear, usually cold water, and are generally killed if 

 the water becomes at all foul. On this account they are frequently difficult to 

 rear in captivity. The adults are not particularly troublesome to man, being 

 deliberate in their attacks and easily alarmed. Our species have no tendency 

 to enter houses. The species may attract notice from their large size and the 

 fact that they are the first mosquitoes to be seen in spring in the woods, having 



