Notes on the Commoner Species 167 



legs being curled far over toward the head, which is 

 ducked down between the fore legs. 



Group IV, — The Domesticated Mosquitoes 



Probably the most domesticated species is 5. 

 calopus, but this has already been under discussion in 

 connection with disease-spreading. The general 

 household pest of this country, however, is Cidtx 

 pipiens. 



Culex pipiens. — This piper, with the sober suit of 

 brown, breeds in and about the houses in Louisiana 

 during the winter; in colder sections it hibernates 

 within doors and the larvae may be found from about 

 May until frost. In Dr. Dupree's laboratory, in 

 winter, its rafts hatched in two or three days, the 

 larval stage being about twenty-four days, the pupal 

 two or three. Larvae were captured out-of-doors in 

 January, and the first general appearance of the 

 adults out-of-doors was noted March 24. Not many 

 were found in the open after November 3. In the 

 north the eggs are laid about May, in any standing 

 water, the adults retreating to winter quarters about 

 September. The species does not migrate, and, as a 

 rule, breeds near its victims. It prefers indoors to 

 out, crawling in through the nets. It is an evil biter, 

 and a most persistent and annoying cantatrice, 

 especially at night. The adults will survive seven 

 days without water; they lived in the laboratory on 

 dried dates or blood for eighty-three days. They 

 generally bit twice, and laid two rafts, each about 

 eight days after a meal, the rafts hatching in from 

 one to three days. The rafts will be deposited and 



