544 APPENDIX 



fasciata), in the same way that malaria is transmitted by Anopheles. (See 

 p. 442.) The name Stegomyia was suggested by the English entomologist 

 Theobald, who separated this genus from the genus Culex, with which 

 it was formerly classed. The salient characteristics of Stegomyia are : 

 (1) the palpi in the male are as long, or nearly as long, as the proboscis; in 

 the female the palpi are uniformly less than one-half as long; (2) the legs 

 are destitute of erect scales ; (3) the thorax is marked with lines of silvery 

 scales. Stegomyia, or at least Stegomyia fasciata, is spread over a wide range 

 of territory, embracing many varieties of climate and natural conditions. 

 It has been found as far north as Charleston, S. C., and as far south as 

 Rio de la Plata. There is no reason to believe that it may not be present 

 at some time or other in any of the intermediate countries. In the United 

 States specimens of Stegomyia fasciata have been captured in Georgia, 

 Louisiana, South Carolina, and Eastern Texas. The island of Cuba 

 is overrun with this insect. The fact that Stegomyia fasciata has been 



FIG. 165 



Adult female Stegomyia fasciata. (Drawn by Agramonte.) 



known to exist at various times in Spain and other European countries 

 may account for the spread of yellow fever which has occurred there 

 once or twice in former times; the same may be said of the countries 

 farther north in the United States, where Stegomyia fasciata has not 

 yet been reported, but which have suffered from invasions of yellow 

 fever. 



Brackish water is unsuited for the development of Stegomyia larvae. 

 The species of Stegomyia fasciata seems to select any deposit of water 

 which is comparatively clean. The defective drains along the eaves of 

 tile roofs are a favorite breeding place in Havana and its suburbs; in- 

 doors they find an excellent medium in the water of cups of tin or china 

 into which the legs of tables are usually thrust to protect the contents 

 from the invasion of ants, a veritable pest in tropical countries. The 

 same may be said of shallow traps, where the water is not frequently 

 disturbed. 



Like other Cidicidce, it prefers to lay at night. It is eminently a town 

 insect, seldom breeding far outside of the city limits. Agramonte never 



