96 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. IV, 



reception. So far as I am aware the characters of this genus have 

 not yet been published. 



A careful examination of the above table will convince the 

 reader that it would be ver^^ difficult, if not impossible, correctly 

 to arrange the Indian species generically by its aid. Those who 

 have worked at the subject will be aware also that the defining 

 descriptions can be criticised as being, (i) incorrect {e.g., the 

 description of the abdominal ornamentation in the genus 

 Nyssorhynchus ; there are no lateral scale tufts in mosquitoes of 

 this genus), or (2) inadequate {e.g., the descriptions of the genera 

 Cellia and Neoccllia), or (3) confusing and indefinite {e.g., the des- 

 criptions of the forms of wing scales). The difficulties caused 

 by these defects have led to much criticism of the system of classi- 

 fying the AnophelincB on a basis of scale and hair covering, but it 

 is probable that the fault lies not so much with the system as with 

 the inadequate and confusing nature of the generic definitions. 

 In this revision I shall try to avoid similar defects, but limits of 

 space prevent me from giving more than a very brief summary of 

 m}' work ; and for the same reason I am prevented from explain- 

 ing in full why I differ from Mr. Theobald in regard to points of 

 detail. 



A consideration of the best way in which to arrange the 

 Indian anophelines according to scale and hair ornamentation is 

 simplified if one starts b}-- separating all the species in two great 

 groups, the first containing those without scales on the abdomen, 

 and the second containing those with scales on some part or the 

 whole of that region of the body. According to the published 

 descriptions of species the following come in the first of these 

 groups. 



^aitkeni, James. 



I immaculatus, Theobald. 



culiciformis, James and Liston. 



Undesayi, Giles. 



gigas, Giles. 



culicifacies, Giles. 



listoni, Liston. 



leptomeres, Theobald. 



jeyporiensis, James. 



turkhudiy Liston. 



piinctulata, James and Liston. 



elegans, James. 

 j nigyifasciatus, Theobald. 

 {^nursei ^ Theobald. 



These 14 species are at present placed by Mr. Theobald in 

 the following groups or genera : — 



In the genus /l;jo/>/je/^s : aitkeni, immaculatus, Undesayi 



and gigas. 

 In the genus Stethomyia : culiciformis. 



Species without scales 

 of any kind on the 

 abdomen. 



