48 THE MOSQUITOES OF NEW JERSEY 



when laid is open to a very simple explanation. When my observations 

 were made there had been a drought of considerable length, and invit- 

 ing places for oviposition were few and far between. This had delayed 

 the females in their work of providing for a continuation of their kind ; 

 yet development of the ova had gone on within the body and a consider- 

 able percentage changed color. This coupled with the fact that only 

 black eggs were found in the marsh mud, justified my belief that the 

 eggs became black before being deposited. Mr. Viereck's conclusions un- 

 doubtedly state the rule. 



CONCLUSIONS FROM THE OBSERVATIONS 



Egg-laying may begin as early as a week after development into the 

 adult condition. This is based upon observations made late in July on 

 specimens of the brood then recently hatched. There are no direct ob- 

 servations as to how long a specimen may live before eggs are laid. 

 We have assumed that all the eggs which a specimen of this species is 

 capable of developing mature at one time, and the limit in number ob- 

 served for one female is close to 200. We have no positive experiments 

 to prove that this is so ; but examinations made of females that have 

 oviposited showed a rigid thickened abdominal wall and an entire ab- 

 sence of ovarian structures. There was simply a hollow shell in which 

 only the digestive system remained, and the worn looking specimens 

 died readily in confinement. Yet I am assured by Dr. Dupree, of Baton 

 Rouge, Louisiana, that sollicitans lays several batches of eggs in that 

 state, and has a much wider range of breeding places than in New 

 Jersey. 



No eggs were laid in water or on its surface. This is an important 

 fact because it eliminates permanent bodies of water as breeders of this 

 particular species. The eggs must he dry or at least not water covered 

 for at least twenty-four hours after they are laid; otherwise they will 

 not hatch. On the other hand, these eggs may remain dry for three 

 months or longer, without losing vitality, and if at any time after they 

 have been dry for over a week or two they become covered with water, 

 hatching is rather a matter of minutes than of hours. I have seen a low 

 meadow covered with an inch of water from a heavy storm, and have 

 found this water swarming with wrigglers a few hours afterward. After 

 two days of sunshine the water had disappeared and with it the millions 

 of larvae. Slow drainage is a positive advantage in danger areas for it 

 will induce the eggs to hatch on a high tide or heavy storm and will 

 destroy the resulting brood. This is an advantage because it absolutely 

 eliminates just that many possible adults and will come nearer to actual 



