48 NOTES ON A MALABIA-CAKRYING MOSvUIID 



It is a problem of some interest to determine the function 

 of these beautiful organs. I think they inainl)' fulfil a 

 mechanical olKce in enabling the larva to float on the surface 

 with the least muscular effort. Ihe body, denser than water, 

 will tend to sink, but the epaulettes being flush with the surface 

 must by capillary attraction lay hold of the air film. Their 

 slender star-like points will lay hold of it. There will thus be 

 twelve epaulettes pulling at the air film together, counterpoising 

 the specific gravity of the body and enabling the larva to lie 

 and breathe without exercising any muscular effort in maintain- 

 ing that position. 



1 have found another variety with longer epaulettes much 

 finer in structure, the rays rising more in a perpendicular 

 manner, not unlike a feather duster, and when it died the leaves 

 clasped a bubble of air, like the lingers of the hand clasping a 

 cricket ball. In confirmation of this opinion I have seen the 

 tips of the epaulettes showing slightly above the water's surface. 

 Likewise on moving they do not sink like the culex larvie, but 

 slide over the surface with a sharp zigzag motion, first in one 

 direction then in another. J>ut when alarmed the body is bent 

 into a curve, so breaking the mlhesion of the outer epaulettes to 

 the air, they then sink to the bottom of the pool lying motion- 

 less for a considerable time. They may likewise be the receptive 

 organs of some special sense of which we have no knowledge. 



An excellent book on Gnats and Mosquitoes has just come 

 to hand as these pages are being revised for printing. In it one 

 of the epaulettes is figured and termed a natatory hair from the 

 body of the larva. But this is a very insufficient description of 

 the beauty, and does not form a satisfactory idea of the functions 

 fulfilled by these beautiful organs. Their position on the dorsal 

 surface and the break in the leaves being directed inwards towards 

 the back seems contrary to the idea that they are swimming 

 hairs, and a fuller investigation I think will confirm the opinion 

 I have expressed. 



As the larva grows the old skin is shed, and it acquires 

 another more suited to its development. More practical than 

 men and women, their habits of economy are carried so far that 

 when they have stripped ott" their old clothes they generally eat 

 them. Frequently there is a rush among the members of the 

 family as to who is to catch them first. The next slide represents 

 a part of one of these discarded garments. It shows the skin 

 covering the tail segments, the long branching hairs by which 

 it was propelled through the water. Further up eight of those 



