MOSQUITOS OR CULICIDAE OF NEW YORK STATE 359 



Abdomen brownish black, with conspicuous, yellow patches on the 

 six anterior segments, being separated by a darker, median line 

 and the denser color of the anterior and posterior portions of 

 each segment ; the dorsum of the posterior segments black and all 

 sparsely clothed with golden yellow hairs. Markings of legs as in 

 female; claws equal, bidentate, much like those of female 

 Corethra. Venation and marking of wings shown in plate 12, 

 figure 2, 3. Scales much thinner as in other male Oulicids. 



Larva. The larva is about % inch in length and resembles thai; 

 of Sayomyia and Corethra in the form of the antennae, which are 

 elongate and tipped with three stout, equal processes. The highly 

 developed mandibles have three conspicuous teeth, the largest 

 with two basal teeth, and this sclerite also has several minor 

 processes. The head is nearly square, as seen from above and 

 the thorax has prominent lateral angles, these and the anterior 

 four abdominal segments being provided with conspicuous lateral 

 tufts of compound hairs, which are specially well developed on 

 the thorax. The dorsum of the eighth abdominal segment bears 

 a short, five-lobed air tube, having a somewhat star ^shaped appear- 

 ance from above. A pair of tracheae end at the base of the 

 anterior lobe. The terminal segment bears a conspicuous, very 

 thick ventral fan and the posterior extremity has a thick, dorsal 

 tuft of compound hairs. The four anal gills slender, long, taper- 

 ing to a rounded tip. 



The pupa resembles that of Culex and Anopheles. 



life history. This species was first brought to our attention in 

 June 1900, when examples from a cold spring at Saranac Inn 

 were submitted for identification to Dr Needham. Larvae of 

 what is undoubtedly this specie:; were found by Professor 

 Underwood in January 1903, in a spring of water in Penobscot 

 county, Me. This species passes the winter as larvae, since 

 they are met with in very early spring and have even been taken 

 from under ice. The larvae, like those of Anopheles, float at the 

 surface of the water in a nearly horizontal position, and when 

 disturbed dive quickly, taking refuge on the bottom where they 

 may remain several minutes, ascending later with a vigorous wrig- 

 gling motion. They are voracious feeders, not only devouring 

 large numbers of Culex larvae, but in the absence of more suitable 



