THE COMMON MOSQUITO 



69 



The larvfe issue from the under side of the egg masses 

 and are extremely active at birth, wriggling rapidly in 

 the water about the eggs. They are very minute and 

 move so rapidly that it is difficult to form any impression 

 of their shape and structure except when they are at rest. 



Fig. 7. — Young Larvaj of Culex pungens ; enlarged. 



tration.) 



(Author's illus- 



They come frequently to the surface to breathe, and dur- 

 ing the first few hours many of them remain under the 

 e^cr mass, where they get air from the air film by which 

 the egg mass is surrounded. One of the first peculiarities 

 which strikes one on observing these newly hatched 

 larvjB or wrigglers under the lens is that the mouth is 

 furnished with tufts of filaments which are constantly in 

 vibration. The head is large, the antennae long, the thorax 

 somewhat swollen, and the abdomen slender. The sides 

 of the body are furnished with stiff bristles. From the 

 next to the last segment of the abdomen there protrudes 



