BIOLOGY OF PHILIPPINE CULIOID,^. 239 



of them, just before the jseriod of pupation, appear as if about to 

 burst from the accumulation of adipose material. 



Pupa: The pupa is light brown. It measures 14 millimeters in length over 

 the dorsum, and 4 millimeters across the thorax. 



Two small, submedian bristles project cephalad from each side of the dorsal 

 metathoracic segment. Posterior to these, on each side of the dorsum of the 

 first abdominal segment projects a tuft of fine plumose bristles. 



Each of the remaining abdominal segments, except the seventh and eighth, 

 bears on its posterior dorso-lateral margin a long bristle or in some instances two. 

 The seventh segment bears a spine-like bristle and four others, all growing from 

 the same point. 



The pinnuriB are large, nearly circular, and with a iine fringe along the outer 

 margin from the vein to near the base. They are devoid of uroehaetas. 



The respiratory siphons are large, but not disproportionate. Their bases are 

 only slightly smaller than the apices, which latter have a sub-oval respiratory 

 opening. (PI. I, fig. 4.) 



The pupa usually remains quietly at the surface, but upon the slightest provoca- 

 tion swims rapidly to the bottom, except when about to transform. This operation 

 generally takes place in the late afternoon. 



HABITS OF THE ADULT.' 



Several notes have been published with regard to the habits of this 

 group of mosquitoes. All agree that the members are sylvan in habitat, 

 but observers diiBfer as to their being harmless to man and animals. 



Theobald says :- 



"It is erroneously supposed that they are not annoying to man and animals; 

 several occasion severe irritation from their bites. Captain James, I. M. S., sends 

 me the description of one {Megarhinus immisericors Wlk.) which is verjf trouble- 

 some in India." He says further, in speaking of if. separattis Arrib. : "They are 

 called 'carapana' in Brazil and bite very badly in the daytime and at night." ^ 



Having had the good fortune to be able to rear large numbers of 

 this interesting mosquito, and having read that the members of this 

 group are considered to be voracious bloodsuckers, I determined to 

 experiment in order to discover whether this species has such propensities. 

 Two things prompted me to the conclusion that it does not suck blood — 

 first, it is a purely sylvan species; and second, the gross appearance and 

 manner of manipulating the proboscis would seem to point toward non- 

 bloodsucking habits. 



All the mosquitoes, both males and females were given an opportunity 

 to bite, being placed upon my bare arm, and upon those of Filipinos 

 and others; but aside from walking over the surface and touching it 

 occasionally with the palpi and tip of the proboscis, they made no attempt 

 which could be interpreted as aggressive. 



'For description of the adult see This Journal (1906), 1, 779. 

 -Mono. Culic. (1901), 1, 217. 

 "Idem (1903), 3, 114. 



