BY W. R. COLLEDGE. 71 



A Male Head 



is seen in fig. 10. Its chief peculiarity is the length, 

 shaggy appearance and peculiar curvatures of the joints of the 

 palpi, with the deep fringe of hairs depending from the last 

 joint but one. The antennae do not differ much from those of the 

 common mosquito. It is a well established fact that these 

 organs are musical instruments responding to the tones of the 

 female voice. Sir Hiram Maxim states that one of the electric 

 lainps at Saratoga emitted a musical note similar to that of the 

 female mosquito. Instantly all the males in the neighbourhood 

 clustered round it. About four hundred were counted. No 

 doubt they were much disappointed when they discovered how 

 grossly they had been deceived. 



The Female Head 



is seen in fig. 11. The central organ is the proboscis in which 

 the lancets lie. Closely attached are the palpi, which extend for 

 two-thirds of its length. Numerous black fcales are scattered 

 over them on a yellow ground. At the base and tips a few 

 snowy scales arise. Beyond these stretching out to the sides of 

 the picture are the antennaB. Their basal joints are yellow and 

 globular and are capable of being moved in any direction. In 

 feeding, to keep them out of the way of the introduction of the 

 lancets into the flesh, they are turned up towards the top of the 

 head. The fourteen joints of which they are composed are 

 slender and regular in length. The bases are black and adorned 

 with a slender whorl of black hairs, the colour then lightens to 

 a pale yellow, with a few white scales here and there, growing 

 more abundant towards the tip. Very fine yellow hairs are 

 likewise interspersed, occuring more thickly on the three apical 

 joints. 



The proboscis is a muscular sheath, ending into two lips. 

 It is certainly an organ of feeling and may also be of taste. 

 It is used as an elephant uses its trunk, passing it over 

 the surface to ascertain its character. The upper surface is 

 slit and in the groove there lie six lancets. Their structure 

 is not correctly described in the text books. The central one, 

 known as labnim epi}ihari;n.v, is a prolongation of the throat, and 

 is the only one of a tubular form, and is the means by which the 

 blood is drawn into its stomach. Another, called the hi/po- 



