Culicinae. 21 



median patches. Fore and mid legs unhanded ; hind metatarsi 

 and tarsi with basal white bands ; ungues equal and simple. 

 Wings with small fork -cells. 



Length. 2 5 mm. 



Geographical distribution. So far only recorded from Jamaica. 



Life-history. The mature insect appears only in May and is 

 evidently uncommon in the island. It comes in the genus 

 Howardina, which belongs to the Culicinae, and not to the 

 Aedinae. 



The following is Dr. Grabham's account of the various 

 stages : 



" The larva assumes a nearly vertical position in the water 

 when resting at the surface film. Colour of head and siphon is 

 light brown, of thorax and abdomen very dark grey ; latter have 

 a thick appearance owing to the presence of large tufted hairs. 

 The abdominal segments have a ring of tufted hairs, about eight 

 in number, at the apex and base. One to seven segments have 

 paired lateral simple hairs. 



"Pecten of tube composed of a row (extending nearly whole 

 length of tube) of simple, slightly-curved bristles, about twenty 

 in number. 



" Chitinous ring of the ninth segment not complete ventrally ; 

 a peculiar digitate hair at the postero-inferior border articulated 

 by a ball-and-socket facet, and terminating in eight to ten bristles ; 

 this appears to be an extra swimming paddle. Both upper and 

 lower brushes of hairs few in number ; lower brush arises from 

 a diamond-shaped plate of chitin situated between the extremities 

 of the incomplete chitinous ring. 



" Antennae have the lateral hairs at junction of upper and 

 middle thirds, terminal hairs short. 



" Lower lip of Meinert rather flat, of nineteen to twenty teeth. 

 Lateral combs of eighth segment of seven to eight stout bristles, 

 each springing from a strong base ; bristles curved inwards 

 towards the points. 



" Tufted hairs of five to twenty flattened trichae arranged in 

 a rosette. 



" Siphon nearly in same straight line as first seven segments \ 

 eighth and ninth segments curved away, siphon twice as long as 

 broad. 



" Larvae very timid, hurrying to bottom of jar on the slightest 

 provocation ; avoid light, are always on dark side of bottle. 

 Length of pupa stage is nearly four days. 



