Vol. xxi] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 26 1 



water the larvae come up with it entangled in the roots. The 

 pupa has peculiar long siphons, that curve forwards and then 

 outwards, and end in a point." 



Mr. Moore has been kind enough to send us preserved lar- 

 vae and pupae. It is clear from their structure that both the 

 larva and pupa are attached to the roots of the Pistia from 

 which they get their air. The apical portion of the breath- 

 ing tube of the larva of Mansonia titillans is shorter and 

 stouter than in M. pcrtnrbans, but essentially the same in char- 

 acter. This portion of the tube is a modification of the closing 



apparatus of the ordinary Culicid type of tube ; it is provided, 

 however, with serrations for piercing the tissues of the plant 

 and with terminal hooks for retaining its hold. The pupae 

 also greatly resemble those of pcrtnrbans. As in that species, 

 the stellate hair-tuft of the first abdominal segment, which in 

 floating pupae serves to lock them to the surface film, is here 

 obsolete, while the anal paddles are narrow and cleft at the 

 apex. The breathing tubes are long and in their terminal por- 

 tion are each provided with a long strongly chitinized hook 

 for insertion into the roots of the water-plant. Theobald has 

 given a poor figure of what appears to be this pupa, furnished 

 him by Dr. Low.* It is attributed to Mansonia nnifonnis, 

 but as that species is oriental and Dr. Low worked largely in 

 tropical America, we think the identification is probably due 

 to a mistake. 



Some points in the life-history of Mansonia still remain 

 to be cleared up. Nothing is known of the mode of eclosion 

 of the imago. To judge from the fact that the pupal skins are 

 not found floating upon the surface of the water, the process 

 must be unusual. The egg of Mansonia titillans remains un- 

 known. We have already pointed outf that the eggs figured 

 by Goeldi cannot be of this species, but belong to some species 

 of Aedcs, but the error persists, having been quoted by Theo- 

 bald and others who naturally turn to this work. It will be 

 seen from the above quotation that Mr. Moore failed in re- 



* Mon. Culic., iii, 270, 1903. 

 t Can. ent., xl., 312, 1908. 



