﻿320 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  the 
  last 
  phonetic 
  mode 
  of 
  spelling, 
  I 
  have 
  a 
  decided 
  preference, 
  and 
  

   would 
  gladly 
  see 
  it 
  adopted 
  were 
  it 
  not 
  that 
  the 
  orthography 
  approved 
  

   by 
  Webster 
  of 
  m-o-s-q-u-i-t-o, 
  is 
  sanctioned 
  and 
  sustained 
  in 
  its 
  employ- 
  

   ment 
  as 
  the 
  specific 
  name 
  of 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  species 
  of 
  the 
  genus 
  Culex, 
  and 
  

   scientists 
  do 
  not 
  feel 
  at 
  liberty 
  to 
  change 
  a 
  single 
  letter 
  in 
  a 
  specific 
  

   name 
  once 
  given 
  and 
  accepted, 
  except 
  under 
  a 
  few 
  prescribed 
  condi- 
  

   tions. 
  Another 
  mode 
  of 
  spelling 
  with 
  which 
  we 
  sometimes 
  meet, 
  is 
  

   m-o-s-c-h-e-t-o, 
  the 
  authority 
  for 
  which 
  I 
  do 
  not 
  know. 
  

  

  The 
  common 
  name, 
  as 
  is 
  often 
  the 
  case 
  with 
  unscientific 
  names, 
  does 
  

   not 
  define 
  the 
  insect 
  intended. 
  The 
  insects 
  which 
  in 
  the 
  United 
  States 
  

   are 
  known 
  as 
  mosquitoes, 
  are 
  popularly 
  known 
  in 
  England 
  and 
  also 
  

   written 
  of, 
  as 
  gnats. 
  By 
  some 
  writers, 
  the 
  blackfly 
  — 
  the 
  terror 
  of 
  the 
  

   Adirondack 
  tourist 
  in 
  early 
  summer, 
  has 
  been 
  claimed 
  as 
  a 
  mosquito, 
  

   while 
  in 
  reality 
  it 
  belongs 
  to 
  a 
  family 
  — 
  the 
  Simulidce 
  — 
  quite 
  removed 
  

   from 
  the 
  Culicidce. 
  The 
  Portuguese, 
  in 
  Brazil, 
  are 
  said 
  to 
  apply 
  the 
  name 
  

   to 
  a 
  small 
  species 
  of 
  Simulium 
  or 
  black-fly. 
  

  

  Its 
  Place 
  in 
  Classification. 
  

  

  The 
  mosquitoes 
  and 
  associated 
  gnats 
  belong 
  to 
  the 
  order 
  of 
  Diptera, 
  

   or 
  two-winged 
  flies, 
  and 
  to 
  the 
  family 
  of 
  CuHcidce, 
  so 
  named 
  from 
  its 
  

   principal 
  genus, 
  Cuhx. 
  This 
  family 
  from 
  the 
  high 
  degree 
  of 
  develop- 
  

   ment 
  of 
  its 
  mouth 
  parts, 
  has 
  been 
  placed 
  near 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  the 
  Diptera, 
  as 
  

   are 
  the 
  Cicinddidce. 
  or 
  tiger 
  beetles 
  at 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  the 
  Coleoptera. 
  The 
  

   principal 
  characteristic 
  of 
  the 
  family, 
  is 
  its 
  long 
  and 
  slender 
  beak 
  or 
  

   proboscis, 
  nearly 
  half 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  the 
  insect, 
  appearing 
  as 
  a 
  simple 
  organ, 
  

   but 
  really 
  composed 
  of 
  several 
  pieces, 
  peculiarly 
  fitted 
  for 
  their 
  function 
  

   of 
  forcing 
  their 
  way 
  into 
  the 
  flesh 
  and 
  drawing 
  blood 
  therefrom. 
  

  

  The 
  mosquito, 
  is 
  not, 
  as 
  its 
  popular 
  name 
  would 
  seem 
  to 
  imply, 
  a 
  

   single 
  species. 
  There 
  are 
  a 
  number 
  of 
  distinct 
  and 
  well 
  characterized 
  

   species, 
  which 
  have 
  their 
  special 
  haunts, 
  different 
  degrees 
  of 
  annoyance, 
  

   and 
  different 
  seasons 
  of 
  the 
  year 
  devoted 
  to 
  their 
  forays. 
  Even 
  in 
  that 
  

   season 
  when 
  the 
  entire 
  insect 
  world 
  out 
  of 
  doors 
  is 
  generally 
  supposed 
  

   to 
  be 
  indulging 
  in 
  its 
  sleep 
  of 
  months 
  preparatory 
  to 
  its 
  spring 
  opening 
  

   and 
  summer 
  campaign, 
  we 
  are 
  not 
  left 
  wholly 
  without 
  representation 
  of 
  

   this 
  intrusive 
  family, 
  for 
  the 
  winter 
  months 
  may 
  bring 
  us 
  occasional 
  visits 
  

   — 
  fortunately 
  they 
  are 
  rare 
  — 
  from 
  Culex 
  hyemalis^ 
  the 
  winter 
  mosquito. 
  

  

  All 
  of 
  those 
  which 
  are 
  grouped 
  in 
  the 
  family 
  of 
  Culicidce, 
  may 
  properly 
  

   be 
  regarded 
  as 
  mosquitoes, 
  as 
  they 
  are 
  closely 
  allied 
  in 
  structure 
  and 
  

   In 
  habits. 
  

  

  