THE CHIRONOMID.-E. 191 



habits, many of them appearing in large clouds ; they are all ex- 

 tremely delicate creatures, some being quite transparent (Z! monilis). 

 The majority have spotted wings. They are mostly very small 

 flirs, the largest [T. neludosi/s), sometimes reaching 4 lin. The 

 larvce are generally found in damp and swampy places, wherever 

 stagnant water abounds (Z! nionilis, inaailatus, etc.). I have also 

 taken them {T. variics, cuUciformis) from running water (in the Cam, 

 which seems to be remarkable for the number of Chironomid and 

 Culicid larvee present). The two best known are the larvae of 

 T. macidatus and vionilis, which are here described. T. inaculahis : 

 The larva of this species, according to De Geer, resembles that 

 of the gnat Corethra phimicornis, figured by Reaumur and many 

 others since, but is less elongated, head more oval, and the thorax 

 having at its base a long pediform bifid tentacle (prolegs), and the 

 tip of the abdomen furnished with four minute triangular plates 

 (evidently analogous to the four branchial appendages of C. pluino- 

 sus), which have two long pediform appendages beneath and two 

 above, the latter more slender and with long terminal hairs. It has 

 ten claw-like legs, four anterior ones pointing towards the head, and 

 are distant from each other, upon the fourth and fifth segments of 

 the body ; and six posterior ones, which point towards the anus, 

 very close together, placed upon the eighth, ninth and tenth segments. 

 In the thorax may be noticed a pair of oval, opaque bodies, which 

 are supposed to be air-reservoirs ; these, when the larva assumes the 

 pupal stage, appear to become external and placed on the back, and 

 resemble the respiratory horns of other aquatic pupa;. The pupa is 

 like that of Cukx, but with broader, oval, thoracic appendages, and 

 small anal plates. T. monilis : The larvje of this species are found 

 in swampy places, wherever stagnant water is found. They are 

 very small creatures, no thicker than a hair, and nearly a quarter 

 of an inch long. There are two feet in front, armed with a circlet 

 of movable claws ; these feet are retractile. The posterior pair of legs 

 are placed at the anal end of the body, somewhat larger than the 

 fore-legs \ they are not retractile, however. They swim with a curious 

 serpent-like motion, and may also be seen crawling upon the aquatic 

 weeds. 



Characters of the Genus Tanypus. 



Body elongated and pubescent. Eyes separate in both sexes. 

 Palpi 4-jointed, curved; first joint shorter than the second, second 

 shorter than the third, fourth nearly as long as the second and third. 

 Antennce 1 4-jointed, filiform, seated in a notch in the eyes ; plumose 



