AEDES FITCHH 685 



a broad serrate filament and seven narrow ones within strongly developed ; proc- 

 ess below furcate, with patches of hair ; basal angle moderate, four filamentous 

 hairs within and a row at base. Maxilla ovate, oblique, divided by a band-shaped 

 suture; inner half rather evenly hairy, a large tuft at tip; outer half with a 

 band of hairs, two small filaments next the suture, a spine on the other side; 

 palpus rather long, slightly constricted beyond the middle, with four terminal 

 digits rather unequal in size. Thorax rounded, wider than long ; hairs abundant, 

 rather long, the subdorsal prothoracic ones longer than the head. Abdomen 

 moderate, the posterior segments more elongate and less prominent on the 

 sides ; hairs long, lateral hairs multiple on first two segments, double on third to 

 sixth, longer than air-tube; a series of long subventral and subdorsal double 

 hairs on third to seventh segments. Tracheal tubes narrow, linear, strongly 

 angled, especially in the seventh segment. Air-tube rather long and slender, 

 over four times as long as wide ; stout at base, tapering from basal fourth out- 

 wardly; pecten reaching nearly halfway, the teeth evenly and closely set; single 

 tooth a long spine with wide base and four irregular basal branches ; a large 

 tuft at about middle of tube, beyond pecten. Lateral comb of eighth segment 

 of many spines in a triangular patch ; single spine elongate, fringed all around 

 with spinules of which the apical one is a little stouter and longer than the 

 subapical ones. Anal segment a little longer than wide, the dorsal plate reach- 

 ing well down the sides, with a small lateral emargination ; dorsal tuft a brush 

 and hair on either side; a single long lateral hair; ventral brush well developed. 

 Anal gills moderate, longer than the segment, tapered. 



The larvae occur in woodland-pools in the early spring, hatching from over- 

 wintering eggs. The development is rather slow, and they consequently prefer 

 deeper and less temporary pools. The species occurs with ahfitchii, and has the 

 same habits. Both occur in woods-pools and we have found them frequent in 

 sphagnum swamps, the edges of which were overflowed by the melting of the 

 snow. Mr. Knab observed that in Saskatchewan the larvae of this species were 

 usually found associated with those of A. fletcheri, although they were usually 

 present in still smaller numbers. They developed at the same time with fletcheri 

 and their growth was equally slow. Mr. Knab has observed the mating habits 

 and his account of them will be found quoted in volume i, page 131, in the 

 general consideration of the mating habits of mosquitoes. 



North-eastern North America to the Canadian prairies. 



Dublin, New Hampshire (A. Busck) ; foot of Mount Holyoke, Massachusetts, 

 larvae, April 15, 1905 (Dyar and Knab) ; Longmeadow, Massachusetts, April 

 16, 1905 (Dyar and Knab) ; Springfield, Massachusetts, May 17, 1905 (F. 

 Knab) ; Plattsburg, New York, larvae, April 24, 1905 (H. G. Dyar) ; Saxeville, 

 Wisconsin, May 22-29, 1909 (B. K. Miller) ; Elkhom, Manitoba, June 10, 1907 

 (T. N. Willing) ; White River, Ontario, June 25, 1907 (F. Knab) ; Aweme, 

 Manitoba, June 5, 1904 (N. Griddle) ; Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 22, 1907 (F. 

 Knab) ; Oxbow, Saskatchewan, May and June, 1907 (F. Knab) ; Eegina, Sas- 

 katchewan, June 10, 1904 (T. N. Willing). 



Our records for Aedes fitchii comprise only the bred specimens and males, as 

 the females are indistinguishable from those of ahfitchii and stimulans. Pro- 

 fessor Smith has not found this species in New Jersey, and it is possible that it 

 has a more northern distribution than its allies. The larvae are undoubtedly 

 harder to rear than those of either ahfitchii or stimulans, which may account 

 for the apparent rarity of the species. 



