90 MORE MINOR HORRORS 



The general colour of the larva is a mottled 

 brown, darkening where the chitin thickens. 

 The older larvae are to some extent green, 

 possibly due to their food ; but this green 

 colour is not by any means confined to the 

 alimentary tract. After moulting, the issuing 

 larva is a uniform light lavender colour, 

 which, however, very soon darkens. 



A strong wind passing over a pool where 

 Anopheles eggs, larvae, or pupae are floating, 

 will gradually pile them all up on the side 

 towards which it is blowing. The Anopheles 

 larvae undoubtedly are braver than those 

 of the Culex — ^that is to say, a disturbance 

 which will send all the Culex larvae scurrying 

 to the bottom will leave the Anopheles larvae 

 unmoved. 



When first hatched the larvae measure 

 somewhere about 0*7 mm. to 0*95 mm., but 

 when ready to pupate they have attained 

 the length of 7 mm. The rate of development 

 is greatly influenced by the temperature, and 

 a few cold days will markedly retard the 

 larval growth. In warm sunny weather, larvae 

 will pupate between the second and third 

 week, but larvae taken in August (if the 

 autumn be cold) do not attain their full 

 growth until November. The young larvae 

 undoubtedly die in considerable numbers, and 

 the act of pupating is also attended with 



