March, 1903.] DvAR : Larv.k OF NoRTH Americax Culicid.1-:. 25 



ventral brush without tufts before the barred area ; the comb is as in 

 the mature larva, of many small teeth, finely divided at tip. A first- 

 stage larva was also sent. It has the antennal tuft at the middle of 

 the joint, eyes round, head slightly smoky blackish ; air tube infus- 

 cated outwardly, ventral brush absent, comb a row of large, thorn- 

 shaped, undivided spines. Disregarding the very generalized con- 

 dition of the first stage, this larva presents a remarkable change at 

 the last stage. It would almost suggest a mixture of species, though 

 I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of Messrs. Dupree and 

 Morgan's excellent work. The eggs are said to be laid in boat-shaped 

 masses (Science, n. s., X\T, 1036, 1902), and this at once suggests 

 the pipieiis type of larva with long tube and antennal tuft at outer 

 third of joint. The young larvce before me bear out this expectation, 

 but the mature larva is strangely transformed. It must be a reversion 

 to a primitive condition, somewhat like the first stage form of these 

 larvK of the pipicns group. The peculiar modification of the air tube 

 pecten is even more surprising. 



Larva. — (PI. II, Fig. 4.) Head rounded, narrowed somewhat 

 before, brown, darker on the vertex ; eyes black, transverse ; antennae 

 rather long, slender, uniform, with a small tuft at the middle, not 

 before the middle ; pale brown. Body normal, thorax enlarged, flat- 

 tened, abdomen submoniliform, the hairs moderate, diminishing pos- 

 teriorly. Lateral comb of eighth segment a diffuse patch of about 50 

 small spines with digitately divided tips in four irregular rows (PI. 

 II, Fig. 4, B^. Air tube about three times as long as wide, tapering 

 outwardly, the usual pecten teeth modified into a row of rather long 

 hairs, the outer ones longest. Anal segment about as long as wide, 

 ringed by the plate, brown infuscated like the tube, tuft and brush 

 normal, the latter continued before the barred area by little tufts to 

 the base of the segment. Anal processes normal. 

 Culex triseriatus Say. 



Eggs obtained at Center Harbor, N. H., from captive females; 

 alcoholic larvre handed me by Professor Smith from Mr. J. Turner 

 Brakeley's cultures at Lahaway, N. J. The eggs are laid at the edge 

 of the water, just below the surface, in rows, patches or singly, ad- 

 herent to the edge. The winter is passed in this state (Science, n. s., 

 XVI, 672, 1902). 



Egi::;. — Elliptical, nearly cylindrical, uniform, no visible flattening ; 

 both ends rounded, the micropylar one more abruptly and with a 



