32 Mosquitoes 



myia x are said to have the blood habit. The author's 

 experience in the case of S. calopus agrees exactly 

 with that of Lieutenant-Colonel Giles, who says that 

 the males of some Indian species, especially those of 

 5. calopus, undoubtedly often settle on one and place 

 themselves in the attitude of attack, but he has never 

 seen one go as far as to obtain blood. One of the 

 commonest of the Indian species has the reputation 

 of possessing biting males. Giles believes, however, 

 that there is no doubt that the males of some species 

 do bite, although he regards it only as an occasional 

 indulgence. On waking early in the morning in 

 Baton Rouge, shoving aside the mosquito bar and 

 lying still I would, in warm weather particularly, note 

 the males come flying with the females to settle on 

 my hands, where they would go prodding about, 

 evidently very thirsty and wishing I were not so 

 pachydermatous. Although the males will drink 

 perspiration, they were not in this case doing so, I 

 made sure of that. An Egyptian species is said to have 

 blood-sucking males, as are also two Italian and two 

 Madagascan species. 2 



Diet of Males and Females Compared. — Dr. 

 Dupree kept both males and females in captivity 

 on dried dates and water. They are also fond 

 of bananas and other fruits. We have frequently 

 found them sipping at half-rotten and fermenting 

 pears, strong drink being apparently an attraction 

 to the wee roysterers. The females have popularly 

 been supposed to abstain from intoxicating bever- 



1 Stephens and Christophers. 



2 Mr. Austen, quoted by Giles. 



