CHAP. VI] CEYLON INSECTS. 273 



The mosquitoes are very annoying on account of their numbers, 

 as might be expected from the moisture and heat of the climate. 

 Culex laniger is the coast species, and the other kinds here 

 mentioned are from Kandy. Humboldt observed that in some 

 parts of South America each stream had its peculiar mosquitoes, 

 and it yet remains to be seen whether the gnats in Ceylon 

 are also thus restricted in their habitation. The genera Sciara, 

 Cecidomyia, and Simulium, which abound so exceedingly in 

 temperate countries, have each one representative species in 

 the collection mUfle by Mr. Thwaites. Thus an almost new 

 field remains for the Entomologist in the study of the yet 

 unknown Singhalese Diptera, which must be very numerous. 



Order HEMIPTERA. 



" The species of this order in the list are too few and too similar 

 to those of Hindustan to need any particular mention. Le- 

 canium coffem may be noticed, on account of its infesting the 

 coffee plant, as its name indicates, and the ravages of other 

 species of the genus will be remembered, from the fact that 

 one of them, in other regions, has put a stop to the cultivation 

 of the orange as an article of commerce. 



" In conclusion, it may be observed that the species of insects 

 in Ceylon may be estimated as exceeding 10,000 in number, of 

 which about 2000 are enumerated in this volume. 



Class AKACHNIDA. 



" Four or five species of spiders, of which the specimens can- 

 not be satisfactorily described; one Ixodes and one Chelifer 

 have been forwarded to England from Ceylon by Mr. Thwaites." 



VOL. I. 



