298 MOSQUITOES OF NORTH AMERICA 



" Upon the same day at 1.25 p. m., a second mosquito was found ovipositing 

 close by the first egg-cluster. Over one-third of the eggs were already laid. 

 The attitude and behavior of this mosquito were much like those of the other 

 one. The hiad legs, however, were placed closely along the sides of the egg- 

 cluster, while in the other mosquito they had been well apart. It is quite pos- 

 sible that the hind legs are crossed in the beginning to receive the first few eggs, 

 as Keaumur has observed in Culex pipiens. The second mosquito concluded her 

 egg-laying in 15 minutes and flew suddenly away. The egg-cluster was more 

 elongate and straight-sided than the first one and contained 105 eggs in six rows. 

 The number of eggs in the rows was : 6, 21, 21, 21, 20, 16. 



" The day upon which these observations were made was warm and partly 

 cloudy. 



" My experience in western Massachusetts has been that, aside from the species 

 frequenting rain-barrels, Culex territans is the only species of Culex breeding 

 continuously and in numbers throughout the summer. It frequents pools in the 

 woods with clear, cool water and ditches with a slight current. I have also 

 found a few of the larvae in a clear mountain spring. The attitude of the larva 

 when at the surface is very characteristic and enables one at once to distinguish 

 it from closely related forms. The breathing tube is vertical, while the body is 

 horizontal in position. In all other forms that I have seen the body inclines 

 downward at a greater or less angle. 



" The eggs of Culex territans have been noted by Dr. Dyar (Science, n. s., 

 xvi, 672, 1902) who says ' they are laid in little groups of two or three side by 

 side.' It is obvious, however, that he observed only the parts of a cluster that 

 had become broken apart after hatching." 



Dr. John B. Smith, in his report on the mosquitoes of New Jersey (1905), 

 discusses the habits of Culex territans as follows : 



" little is known of the habits of this species, though it is by no means un- 

 common. It is not certain even that it bites, although until recently I have 

 believed that it did. * * * 



" It is not definitely known how the insect hibernates, though the indication 

 is that it does so in the egg-stage. It is certain that none of the collections of 

 hibernating adults thus far made has produced even a single example of this 

 species. Territans is not uncommon at Lahaway, yet in Mr. Brakeley's thorough 

 collections in the cellars and outbuildings there it did not occur once. It is also 

 quite common at Bordentown; yet among the hundreds of mosquitoes taken 

 there in cellars and empty houses by Mr. Brakeley not an example of this form 

 was found. In fact, none of my collectors ever found any specimens in winter. 



" Among the house collections territans occurs rarely, and Mr. Brakeley re- 

 ports only one specimen, July 26, 1903, in the dining-room at Lahaway. Prac- 

 tically no specimens were in the extensive series of collections made for me by 

 Mr. Buchholz at Elizabeth in 1902 and 1903. In reality, there were 13 examples 

 out of 318 that seemed referable to this species in the 1902 collection. The col- 

 lections made in 1903 show an even smaller percentage in a much greater num- 

 ber of examples, all taken late in the season. There is some doubt also about the 

 egg-laying habits of the insect, but it seems certain that it makes small boats 

 which probably disintegrate rapidly, allowing the individual eggs to sink to the 

 bottom. 



" Territans is not a traveler, and seems very local, even where it occurs in con- 

 siderable numbers. 



" This is one of the few mosquito larva that is really recognizable at a glance ; 

 the large, square head and the very long and very slender anal siphon forming a 

 combination that can not be mistaken. This is, essentially, a clean water 

 wriggler, though it is occasionally found in stagnant water. Mr. Brakeley and 



