MOSQl'ITOS OF THE PALAEAK( TIC KliGION. 347 



or 16 teeth, the number in the others ranging from 12 to 20. These specimens also 

 had dark antennae, and the average size was larger and the average length of the 

 siphon rather greater {index about 5). I find that specimens from Britain and 

 Macedonia, though rather variable, agree in the main with this Mcsopotamian type, 

 which may therefore be taken as the common European form. 



I have not been able to detect any constant difference between Palestine adults 

 and those of other countries. Both the banded and unhanded forms occur there, 

 and, as mentioned above, some (but by no means all) of the females have the upper 

 fork-cell shorter than usual. It may be noted that in its several peculiarities the 

 Palestine larva of C. pipiens approximates to that of C. fatigans. 



It is possible, as long ago suggested by Ficalbi, that there are two races of this 

 species, differing little, if at all, external^, but one being more addicted to sucking 

 human blood than the other. In England C. pipiens will certainly attack man at 

 times, but can seldom be regarded as troublesome ; I have never myself experienced 

 its bite, nor found a blood-gorged female in a bedroom. In south Europe, however, 

 the reports of various observers lead one to suppose that it is more regularly addicted 

 to feeding on human blood. Further experience may possibly show that the 

 Palestinian type of larva described above is widely distributed in the Mediterranean 

 region and represents the more troublesome race. If this should be proved to be 

 the case the varietal name molestus, Forskal, might be applied to this form. 



Wesenberg-Lund describes as C. nigriUilus, Theo., a Ciilex larva which seems 

 to differ in many respects from C. pipiens : e.g., in the shape of the mentum and 

 of the pecten-teeth and comb-scales and in the longer siphon. As I have not seen 

 the adults reared from these larvae, I will only remark that the larvae of my C. pipiens 

 var. doliormn (which I considered identical with Theobald's C. nigritulus, and which 

 I do not now consider even varietally distinct from C. pipiens) conform fairly well 

 to Wesenberg-Lund's description of C. pipiens. 



Synonymy. — It is impossible to say what species were actually intended by 

 most of the old descriptions, but I think it probable that the names C. hicolor, Mg., 

 C. pallipes, Mg., C. thoracicus, R.-D., C. calcitrans, R.-D., and perhaps also C. luteus, 

 Mg., were based on more or less rubbed specimens of this species. From the habits 

 indicated by Forskal and Germar for C. molestus and C. domesticus it seems probable 

 that this species was intended, C. fatigans being excluded owing to its now apparently 

 established absence from Europe and Egypt. The description of C. pallipes, Waltl, 

 was evidently supplied by Meigen, and ampHfied by him in 1838. The British 

 Museum possesses a copy of Meigen's Abbildung eur. zweifl. Ins., hand-coloured by the 

 author, in which the figure of C. rufiis evidently represents C. pipiens, though the 

 venation is shown in a conventional manner.* In his diagnosis of C. meridionalis, 

 Leach says " abdomine segmentis omnibus postice griseo marginatis," but as he makes 

 a similar statement regarding his C. nicaensis and C. musicus, it seems probable 

 that by " postice " he meant " basally." Ficalbi's description of C. phytophagns, 

 especially as regards the male palpi and abdominal bands, shows that he had 

 C. pipiens, not C. laticindus or C. univittatus, before him. I have examined the 

 types of C. marginalis. C. agilis, C. varioannnlatns, and C. azoriensis, and find 

 them to be C. pipiens. Dr. Dyar informs me that he has examined Coquillett's 

 type of C. pallens, and that it is C. pipiens. The species has frequently been 

 referred to as C. ciliaris, L., but I think probably incorrectly. 



Distrihiition. — Throughout the Palaearctic region ; also in parts of North and 

 South America, East and South Africa, and Madagascar ; no doubt spread by 

 commerce. 



* It may also be remarked here that the figures in this work of C. vexaiis and C. avniilipcs 

 agree with the interpretation of these names adopted in this paper. Some of the other figures 

 are less decisive. 



