THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Vol. XI.] 



DECEMBEE, 1878. 



[No. 187. 



THE LARVA OF CHIRONOMUS PLUMOSUS 

 (Bloodworm). 



By Edward Cox. 



Fig. 1. — Chieonomus PLUMOSUS : magnified 4 diams. 



All the figures of this larva that I have seen are alike ; 

 and the}' are evidently taken from Reaumur's ' Meraoires,' 

 which were published about 140 years ago. When I noticed 

 thai Reaumur's figure had only 10, or perhaps 11, segments, 

 instead of 13, 1 thought it might be incorrect in other 

 respects. So 1 obtained some living specimens, and kept 

 them in small glass vessels. 



Having closely watched and carefully examined many of 

 these specimens, 1 find that Reaumur's figure, and the copies 

 of it in Kirby and Spence's ' Introduction,' Burmeisler's 

 ' Manual,' &c., are, as 1 suspected, inaccurate. 



I'his larva has four prolegs (fig. 1); the pair on the second 

 segment have their ends fringed with closely placed hairs, 

 and are not unlike the prolegs of calerpillt\rs. The other pair, 

 which are on the last segment, have each fifteen (.'') brown 



'I 

 Fig. 2. — Magnified 50 diams. 



claws. These claws are unequally bidenlate plates with 

 incurved teeth ; they differ in size and shape (fig. 2), and 



2 m 



