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Culex cubensis (La Sagra), zancudo, or long-legged mosquito, is from five 

 to six mm. in length, of a yellowish or fawn color, with long, thin legs, 

 and no noticeable spots upon its body or legs. This species is nocturnal, 

 coming out exclusively at night and retiring before daybreak; they are 

 often found in the morning, in a state of torpor, gorged with blood, inside 

 of mosquito nets. I have never succeeded in getting these zancudos to sting 

 a second time after they had once become filled; but as they can be kept 

 alive, by feeding with sugar, over a period of forty days, it is unlikely 

 that they should not bite more than once when in a state of freedom. The 

 female of this speces lays its eggs pretty much in the same manner as the 

 European gnat, described by Reaumur, forming a boatlike aggregate of 

 eggs, where over one hundred are closely packed together, standing upright, 

 side by side, the tiny raft being left floating upon the water. 



The other species is the Culex mosquito (Robineau Desvoidy), lately 

 described, I am told, as "Culex fasciatus". There are several varieties, 

 principally distinguishable by their dimensions and shades of color; some 

 being small and nearly black, while others are stronger, almost as large as 

 the nocturnal species, and of a brown or steel color ; the general character- 

 istics being the same in the two or three varietés that I have observed. 



The body of the C. mosquito is dark colored, the ventral surface coated 

 with a thick skin and marked with gray or white rings ; on each side of the 

 abdomen is a double row of white dots, between which stretches a 

 transparent membrane through which the blood can be seen when the insect 

 is full. The most striking feature consists in five white rings on its hind 

 legs, corresponding to the tarsal and metatarsal articulations. Others less 

 apparent are on the fore and middle legs ; white spots are visible on the 

 sides of the thorax and front of the head, while the corselet presents a 

 combination of white lines in the figure of a two-stringed lyre. The wings, 

 when closed, do not cover the end of the body. 



The males are known by their bushy antennae and long palps lying 

 close to the proboscis, and curved outward near the point; whereas the fe- 

 males have delicate antennae and short palps drawn up close to the root 

 of the proboscis. 



The female of this species lays its eggs in a different manner from 

 the zancudo, not in a boat-like aggregate but singly, having previously 

 deposited a viscous substance through which they lie scattered in irregular 

 groups, either upon the liquid surface or upon the sides of the vessel, close 

 to the water's edge. 



The above details are easily made out with the aid of a magnifying 

 glass. I need not enter upon a minute description of the six pieces which 

 constitute the sting of the female mosquito (labrum, mandibles, maxillae, 

 and tongue) : suffice it to say that, in the act of biting and sucking blood, 

 it represents a hollow lance, from 2 to 2 1 /2mm. long. l/30mm. broad at 



