246 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Voi. xii. 



Identity of Culex fitchii Felt & Young. — This is the form 

 described as " cantans 2 " by Mr. Knab and myself (Proc. ent. soc. 

 Wash., vi, 143, 1904). Whether the European cafifans Meig. really 

 occurs in America at all is a question we are unable to decide at 

 present, and if it does, it is as likely to he Jitchii a.?, the form " canfans 

 I." European larvge must be compared. 



THE EGGS OF CULEX TERRITANS WALKER. 



By Frederick Knab, 



Urbana, III. 



During the summer of 1903, in examining rain-barrels for mos- 

 quito material, egg-clusters were several times found upon the sides of 

 the barrel some distance above the surface of the water. At first it 

 was thought that these egg-boats had come into that situation by some 

 disturbance of the water, but later a number of them were found in 

 the same barrel and at different heights from the water — some of them 

 six or eight inches above the water-level. It was also noticed that the 

 longitudinal axis of the cluster was always vertical and there could be 

 no doubt that the eggs were deposited in that situation. These egg- 

 boats were easily detached and when placed in water floated in the 

 ordinary manner of the eggs of Culex pipiens and Culex restuaus and 

 the eggs hatched within a day. The larvae from these eggs proved to 

 be those of Culex territans, which was also the most abundant form in 

 the barrel in question. It may be added that this rain-barrel stood in 

 a large and well-shaded picnic grove and nearby were several small 

 ponds fed by springs where the larvae of Culex territans, and of that 

 species only, were abundant. Upon a previous occasion four egg- 

 boats of Culex territans vfcre found at the margin of one of these little 

 ponds. They were under a projecting tussock attached to its base 

 just above the surface of the water. Doubtless the eggs find their 

 way to the surface of the water by some mechanical means and most 

 likely are washed down by a heavy dew or a rain. Probably they do 

 not hatch until they reach the water. 



Upon August 16, 1904, it was my good fortune to come upon a 

 mosquito of this species in the act of ovipositing. In the above 

 mentioned grove was a discarded dish-pan partly filled with rain water 



