MOSQUITO BIOLOGY 227 



and found afterward that eggs were present in some numbers. But 

 meanwhile Mr. Brakeley had positively identified them, and had even 

 bred a lot of larvae, making the relation absolutely certain. He col- 

 lected from time to time, until October 20, and found anywhere from 

 five or six to thirty or more eggs in a single leaf. Oviposition was con- 

 tinuous, but on only two occasions were adults seen apparently en- 

 gaged in the process. It is probable that the egg laying is done mostly 

 at night. 



After the eggs had once been identified there was no difficulty in find- 

 ing them, but it was noted that in the older leaves where larvae were now 

 most abundant, they were not so plentiful as they should be to account 

 for the large winter supply. So attention was directed to the younger 

 leaves, even where there was as yet no water in them. Here, it was dis- 

 covered, was the favorite place for ovipositing, with this species. Eggs 

 were laid in leaves as yet perfectly dry, at the bottom and at the sides, 

 singly or in little groups, whether by one or more than one female was 

 not ascertained. Of the old leaves many become imperfect in late fall 

 and any puncture or decay allowing the water to escape would, of 

 course, mean the death of the larvae. So the new leaves are selected and 

 in them many more eggs were found than in the others. In one case Mr. 

 Brakeley counted up to seventy-five, then lumped the remainder and 

 called it 100. It is scarcely probable that any female of this species is 

 capable of producing 100 eggs of the comparatively large size of those 

 in question ; so two at least, and possibly more females may oviposit in 

 a suitable leaf. 



Observations were continued until frost, which came unusually early 

 in 1901. Up to November eggs were found, and early in that month a 

 few pupae. So breeding is continued just as long as there is a chance to 

 keep it up. 



The eggs are chestnut brown in color, somewhat chunky, bean- 

 shaped, the ends somewhat pointed, the inner margin nearly straight. 

 There is no evident sculpture, yet when first mounted and examined 

 under the microscope, there seems to be a somewhat irregular tessel- 

 lated reticulation that disappears later, when the shell becomes more 

 transparent. 



In the previous notes it was brought out that this larva does not need 

 to come to the surface for air as much as recorded for Culex. Dr. How- 

 ard informed me that a lot of larvae that I sent him later, lived for 

 nearly two weeks under a film of oil which covered the surface of their 

 breeding jar. 



One of my students demonstrated in the laboratory a very complete 



