CHAPTEE XXIII 



INSECTA (continued) 



Order VI. : DIPTERA (continued) 



Sub-order 2 : Nemocera (Thread-horned flies). 



BESIDES the types of Diptera described in the previous 

 chapter in all of which the perfect insect was a thick-bodied 

 fly, more or less resembling a blue-bottle fly in general form 

 there are others which resemble, instead, a gnat or midge, 

 having long, slender legs and long, narrow, usually hairy 

 wings; also they possess the many -jointed, long antennae 

 which give the name of Nemocera to this sub-order. 

 Here again many families are included. 



Family 1 : CULICIDAE (GNATS, MOSQUITOES, ETC.) 



The Culicidae are characterised by their long projecting 

 proboscis, and by their plumed antennae. 



Type : The Common Grey Gnat (Culex pipiens). 



These buzzing, irritating little creatures, with their annoy- 

 ing sting, are perhaps only too familiar to us in their winged 

 state, and it may be that we approach the study of their life- 

 history without much pleasurable anticipation; but we are 

 rewarded by the discovery of a story of unexpected interest, 

 displaying at every stage beautiful adaptations of structure 

 and habit to suit the changeful life they lead. 



Ima o ^^ e ^ orm * t ^ ie w i n S e d iniago is shown in Fig. 



260. The male can be at once distinguished from 



the female by his very bushy antennae and much longer palps ; 



339 



