107 



in still water. Larvae of Tabanus ochrophilus and Neotabmius triangu- 

 lum were found in the sand at the bottom of a channel where the 

 water was only moving slowly, and these are described. 



Lima (A. da Costa). Contribuicao para o estudo da Biolojia dos 

 Culicideos. [Contributions to the study of the Biology of the 

 Culicidae.] — Mem. Inst. Osivaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, vi, no. 1, 

 1914, pp. 18-34, 1 pL, 2 figs. 



Respiration in mosquito larvae is believed to be strictly aerial, 

 and if this is the case, the larvae must constantly return to the surface 

 of the water in order to inhale air. It would therefore follow that 

 any Culicid larva will die if prevented from absorbing free air. The 

 author has made some experiments on this subject, using larvae of 

 species of Limatus, Stegomyia and Cnlex. The experiments were 

 made to find out how long larvae would live when prevented from 

 breathing air directly in different kinds of water, such as ordinary 

 river water, rain water, boiled water, etc. The author finds that 

 while generally breathing free air, mosquito larvae also take in the 

 oxygen dissolved in water, through the branchial leaflets and also 

 the general integument of the body. The younger the larva, the more 

 easily it will get into the habit of living only on the air dissolved in 

 the water ; older larvae will die in less than a day if deprived of free 

 air. Small larvae if provided with sufficient food will grow and become 

 nymphs, but these die after a short time if still deprived of free air. 

 The branchial leaflets are of no value in locomotion, which is as perfect 

 in the larva deprived of them, as in those which have them. They 

 are only used for respiration ; larvae whose branchial leaflets show 

 numerous tracheal ramifications remain normally longer under water 

 than those w^ith only small ones, and the former can live longer than 

 the latter when they have no access to free air. Removal of the 

 branchial leaflets causes the larvae to rise more frequently to the 

 surface for air. Stegomyia larvae deprived of their leaflets and shut 

 off from the external air remain alive for some time ; any larva shut 

 up in the experiment jar with boiled water, dies in a few hours. The 

 water containing larvae dependent entirely on the dissolved gases 

 must be frequently aerated. Larvae are asphyxiated under a petro- 

 leum film, not only because they cannot reach free air, but because 

 the oil adheres to their bodies, preventing cutaneous respiration. 

 Petroleum also has a poisonous effect on the larvae. 



Neiva (A.). Contribuicao para o estudo dos Reduvidas hematofagos. 



[Contribution to the study of the blood-sucking Reduviidae.] — 

 Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, vi, no. 1, 1914, 

 pp. 35-39. 



Two species of Reduviidae have been recorded from Bahia, namely 

 Triatoma rubrofasciata and T. megista. The author adds the following 

 species to the list : — T. sordida, in the neighbourhood of running 

 streams near Bahia, and widespread in S. America generally ; T. brasil- 

 iensis, found in that part of Bahia bordering on Piauhy, living princi- 

 pally in the holes of mocos {Cerodon rupestris, Wied.) ; this species 

 was identified in Paris as T. infestans, but the author believes this 



