MOSQUITOS OR CULICIDAE OF NEW YORK STATE 277 



American specimens, but examination of specimens from that 

 country reveals very little if any difference. 



This mosquito is said by Howard to be rather rare. It has 

 been taken, though not bred, in New Jersey by Dr Smith and was 

 described by Say from Indiana. Theobald records it in addition 

 fi'om Rio Janeiro, British Guiana and South Amazon. He states 

 that it seems to be an abundant South American form, and our 

 observations show that it was present in considerable numbers in 

 woods near Poughkeepsie in July. It is a large, handsome mos- 

 quito with bluish reflections in the sunlight. It is one of the 

 most vicious biters we have seen and at the same time one of the 

 most wary, since it takes to wing much quicker than other species 

 on the approach of a net or cyanid bottle. It was found indif- 

 ferently in both sunlight and shade. 



CULEX 



Members of this genus may be recognized by the more or less 

 erect forked scales on the head, and the linear, lateral scales of 

 the wing veins. Most of the characters used in the separation of 

 the species are well illustrated in figure 5 reproduced by permis- 

 sion of Dr J. B. Smith, state entomologist of New Jersey. 



Key for determining females of the genus Culex* 



a Tarsal joints banded at the base 

 & Proboscis without a white band 

 c Claws all toothed 



d Bases of anterior abdominal segments with patches of yellowish 

 white scales 

 e Scales of sides and pleura pale yellow; posterior cross vein less 



than its own length from one above squamiger, p.281 



ce Scales of sides and pleura white; posterior cross vein its own 



length at least from one above fitchii, p.281 



dd Bases of abdominal segments distinctly banded with whitish 

 scales 



e Tarsal bands broad c a n t a n s , p.284 



ee Tarsal bands narrow sylvestris, p.289 



CG Posterior claws simple; tarsal bands narrow c a n t a t o r , p.293 



&& Proboscis with a more or less distinct white band 

 c Abdomen with a central stripe of yellowish scales on dor- 

 sal" sollicitans, p.294 



CO Abdomen without such stripe 



'^Prepared by D. B. Young. 



