Sept., 1904.] Dyar : The Larva of Culex functor. 169 



The error would have been avoided if Dr. Horn had seen a long series 

 of this insect at that time. 



Brenthus peninsularis Horn. 



This species is erroneously reported to breed in gumbo limpa. 

 During the month of May I took this insect at flowers at San Filipe, 

 Lower California, and I was not able to discover their breeding place. 

 Brenthus anchorago came out in August and I examined hundreds of 

 this latter species, but never found one B. peinnsularis mixed up with 

 them. 



Class I, HEX APOD A. 



Order IV, DIPTERA. 



THE LARVA OF CULEX FUNCTOR KIRBY, WITH 

 NOTES ON AN ALLIED FORM. 



By Harrison G. Dyar, A.M., Ph.D., 



Washington, D. C. 

 (Plate IX.) 



Culex punctoi- Kirby, is one of those single-brooded, early develop- 

 ing mosquitoes that would seem especially adapted to an arctic climate. 

 Three-fourths of the year is spent in the &gg state. The eggs, lying 

 in marshy places frozen up over winter, hatch as soon as the ice has 

 melted in the spring. The larval stages are passed in about three 

 weeks, even in very cold water and the adults emerge immediately. 

 They may fly possibly for six weeks, when the eggs being laid, they 

 die and the species disappears, apparently, for the season. With these 

 habits the insect ought to occur throughout the arctic circle. I met 

 with it in Canada in the mountains of eastern British Columbia (Proc. 

 Ent. Soc. Wash., VI, 39, 1904). A single fully grown larva, appa- 

 rently the last one of a brood, was found on May 31. It soon pupated 

 and the imago occurred on June 4. Other mosquitoes were flying at 

 this time over the swamp where the larva was found and Avere supposed 

 to be of the same species. On being imprisoned, they were fed on 

 sugar and water. After being in confinement for two weeks, a female 

 deposited eggs on the surface of the water. They were kept in water 



