i8 



resemble tiny " Indian clubs " in shape, and are deposited on the sur- 

 face of the water, arranged vertically in compact masses, or "rafts," 

 each containing from 200 to 300 eggs. The eggs of the species of 

 A/iop/teles, on the other hand, are boat-shaped, and are not attached to 

 one another, but float freely on the surface of the water in clusters of 

 from two or three to as many as 100. The larvar of the Culicinre are 

 distinguished by the possession of a posterior dorsal breathing tube, 

 or respiratory siphon, which is absent in the Anophelinac. W'hen 

 taking in air, the former suspend themselves at an angle from the 

 surface film by the extremity of the respiratory siphon, but the 

 larvae of the latter lie perfectly horizontal. The food of mosquito 

 larvne consists of algae and minute organisms, both animal and 

 vegetable ; in captivit}' they sometimes display cannibal propensities. 

 In addition to the species illustrated in the plates, the following 

 blood-sucking mosquitoes are also found in the British Islands : — 

 Culex morsitans, Theob., lateralis, Mg., ornatus, Mg., divcrsus, 

 Theob., nigripcs, VAI. var. sylvcr, Theob., Jiigritulus, Ztt., Intescens, 

 Fabr. ; Grabhamia pulchripalpis, Rond. ; and Taiiiorhyfichus 

 richardii, Fie. 



Genus 

 ANOPHELES, Meigen. 



Anopheles nigripes, Stseg. 

 Plate 2. 



Specimens of this species in the Museum collection are from 

 various localities between and including CoIw\-n Bay, Carnarvonshire, 

 N. Wales, and Penzance, Cornwall : the species is on the wing from 

 June to September. According to Theobald (' Monograph of the 

 Culicidai,' Vol. I., p. 202) it also occurs in Scotland, and what appears 

 to be A. nigripes was recorded (without a specific name) from the North 

 of Ireland by A. H. Haliday in 1828 (' Zool. Journal,' III., 1828, p. 501). 

 Theobald {loc. cit.) writes of this species : — " It bites very viciously, 



