FACTS ABOUT WKLF. KNOWN ANIMALS. 



103 



when the little torment was fairly settled, made a dexterous 

 movement of the hand, and with a slap exclaimed, "I've 

 got him this time!" No such thing; you never got him in 

 your life, but probably have often succeeded in crushing 

 her, for the male mosquito is a considerate gentleman. In 

 lieu of the piercer of the female he is decorated with u 

 beautiful plume, and has such a love of home that hesel.dom 

 sallies forth from the swamp where he was born, but con- 

 tents himself with vegetal rather than animal juices. (I 

 do not wish to make any reflections, but in the insect world 

 it is always the females which sting !) 



But to its history. The mosquito was not born a winged 

 fly, and if you will examine a tub of rainwater that has 

 stood uncovered and unmolested for a week or more durinir 

 any of the summer months, you may see it in all its vari- 

 ous forms. You may sec the female supporting herself on 

 the water with her four front legs and crossing the hinder 

 pair like the letter X. In this support made by the legs 

 she is depositing her eggs, which are just perceptible to the 

 naked eye. By the aid of a lens they are seen to be glued to- 

 gether so as to form a little boat, which knocks about on the 

 water till the young hatch. And what hatches from them? 

 Why those very wrigglers (Fig. 14,/) which jerk away every 



Fig. \i,.—Culex pipiens : a, male; b, head r.f fcmaU- : ,-. j'»im^ of male an- 

 tenna ; /. lana ; g, pupa— all enlai^cd. r After Wc^twood. ^ 



time you touch the water. They are destined to live a 

 certain period in this watery element, and cannot take 



