50 MORE MINOR HORRORS 



the male the bushy character of the hairs is 

 conspicuous even to the naked eye. In fact, 

 it is the easiest criterion for judging the sex 

 of the insect. At the base of the first joint 

 of the male antenna is a deep cup-shaped 

 structure packed with sense organs, and con- 

 taining a large nerve ganglion. There are 

 sixteen segments in the whole antenna, one 

 more than in the female. The hairs are 

 capable of movement, and as a rule are kept 

 closed on the shaft of the antenna whilst not 

 in use ; when evening comes on they are 

 spread out. There seems little doubt that 

 these organs are auditory and help the male 

 in searching for the female. 



The beautiful transparent wings of the 

 mosquito are beset with minute spikes, which 

 serve to break up the light and to give rise 

 to the many-coloured iridescence of the crea- 

 ture's wings. The posterior border of the 

 wing bears rows of beautifully graded scales. 

 These add much to the symmetry and beauty 

 of the whole structure. Just behind it are 

 two balancers or halteres — a name derived from 

 the Greek word dXrype^f meaning a kind of 

 dumb-bells which athletes used in the stadium 

 when jumping. These so-called balancers 

 project outwards and backwards from the body 

 when the wings are in a position of flight. 



A curious distinction between the Culex 



