SPECiES OP CDLEX AND ALLIED GbXERA. 255 



Ncomelanoconion rima, S , Tlieo., Mon. Cul. IV, p. 514 (1907). 



Pectinopalpus fitsciis, Theo., Ann. Ma,g. Nat. Hist. (8) V, p. 375 (1910). 



CuUciomyia iiniformis, Theo., Mon. Cul. V, p. 230 (1910). 

 Dr. W. M. Graham first called the writer's attention to the probability of 

 Pectinopalpus fuscus and CuUciomi/ia freetownensis being identical, and has 

 ■suggested this in the " Bulletin of Entomological Research "(Julj, 1911, p. 132). 

 At his suggestion I made preparations of the genitalia of a number of males, 

 ■choosing specimens as different in size and in the amount of white on the abdomen 

 as 1 could find. In none of these preparations could I see any specific differences ; 

 the smaller specimeiis we're much less strongly chitinised, but this is only what 

 might be expected in starved individuals. 1 also examined some hundreds of 

 pinned adults, and though these varied greatly in size and in the extent of the 

 whitish, lateral, abdominal spots, eveiy gradation could be found between the 

 various forms. In one case about 150 very small specimens were bred from the 

 water in a pie-dish by Dr. T. F, G. Mayer, in Southern Nigeria, their size 

 evidently being due to semi-starvation in the larval period. I have therefore 

 come to the conclusion that there' is only one variable African species of 

 CuUciomyia (C. dalzieli, Theo., is a synonym of Ochlerotatns quasiunivittatns, 

 Theo.), the forms or varieties of which are : — • 



a. nehulosa. Medium-sized specimens with obscure abdominal spots. 



p. cincrea. Large specimens with distinct pale apical lateral, s.pots on the 



abdominal segments. ' , , _ 



y, pseudocinerea ( = unifurmis, ? = inveny.stti). Large specimens with no 



pale abdominal spots. 

 i. freetoumensis. Small specimens with abdominal spots. 

 £. fusca. Small specimens without abdominal spots. 



As it would frequently be impossible to say whether a specimen were large or 

 small, or even whether abdominal spots were present or not, since these are so 

 variable in size, it does not seem advisable to retain these names in general use. 

 There is some variation in the length of the fork-cells ; two specimens from 

 Prince's Island, Gulf of Guinea {Dr. IF. G. Ansorge) have the first slightly 

 shorter than the second. This is one of the many species which not infrequently 

 have a bright green colour on the thorax or legs ; this variation may possibly be 

 •due to something in the food of the larvte. 



In the Monograph of the Culicidas (V, p. 239), referring to C. freetownensis, 

 Theobald says " Perfect specimens show the venter of the abdomen to be 

 white, except the apical segment, which is deep black." This remark only 

 applies to some specimens wrongly determined as C. freetoionensis, which 

 are really Eumelanomyia inconspicuosa ; the venter of C. nehulosa is all 

 grey. E. inconspicuosa Q is very much like C nehulosa to the naked eye, but 

 has a black, shiny thorax, and a flat-scaled head. The thoracic integument of 

 C. nehulosa and also the scales of the thorax, have a chara-cteristic dull grey- 

 brown appearance. The distinctions between C. nehulosa Q and Protomelanoconion 

 fuscum Q have already been pointed out. 



The type of G. nigrochaetae is not now in the British Museum, but it seems, 

 from the description of the Q, to have been only C. nehulosa. Tli^ number of. 



