CAS 



IXSECTA. 



composed of fourteen joints; and llio pro1)oscis i:> lon|_', yiorrectcd, filiform, inclosing a puiictorial 

 sucker, composed of five seta', [according lo J.atieillc, liut in reality oi tii\, exclusive uf the palpi]. 

 They constitute the genus 



CuLF'^x, Linn. {Calicii/es, Latr.), — 

 And have the liody and leg^ very lung, the antcnnaj very liairy, forming a thick pencil, in the males ; 

 the eyes large, convergent above; tlie }ia]pi purrected, llhfurrn, villose, as long as Ihe ])iu}ioseis, and 

 5-jointed in the males, shorter and fewer-jointed in the females ; the proboscis is eonijioaed of a 

 memlirauuus c\luidrical tul>e, tenniiiated by two hps, forming a kind of knob, imd of a sucker consisting 

 of live [six] scaly tilaments, producing the etfcct of a sling, tlie wings resting Imrizontally uputi 

 the back, "with small scales. 



These insects are very annoying, especially in damp situations, where they most abound. Thirsting 

 for our blood, they pursue us every whc^re, eutering our habitations, especially in the evening, 

 making a loud buzzing, and piercing our skins, which our clothes cannot even ahvays protect, \uth 

 the delicate setai of their proboscis, whieli are denticulated at the ti}is. In proportion as they thrust 

 it into our llrsh the shrnth nf the priib(iM.'ls lieuomes elbowed towards the breast. They discharge a 

 venomous tluid into the wound, whitdi is the cause of the pain felt. It is observed that ^ve are only 

 attacked by the female gnats; [the males indeed have tlie mouth organs, fewer in number and 

 weaker]. The gnats are knowu in America under tlie names of Maringouins or Musquitocs. They 

 are only to be guarded against by emrlnping the lieil wiih a Musquito curtain. The Laidanders drive 

 them away liy fire, and l)y coating the naked parts of the body with grease. The females deposit their 

 eggs on the surface of the water, crossing their hind legs near the anus, and by degrees extending 

 them as the eggs are discharged from the body, and which they place side by eide, the entire njass 

 resembling a small boat: each female deposits about 300 eggs in the course of the year. These 

 insects are able to withstand the strongest frosts. The larva* li\e in stagnant water, and are es- 

 pecially to be found in the spring. They suspend Ihcmsches at lln^ surface of water, head downwards 

 fur rcspiiatiuJi ; thcv ha\c a di,sli)iet loiiiided head, fuiiiiblied "\\ii.h a i);ur of antenna', and of ciliated 

 organs, which serve by their continual luutnm to form a kind of currc-ut, \\hich Ijriiigs thuir food to the 

 mouth; a thorax ^vith bundles of hairs; an ehmgated, nearly c}lindric abdomen, ujucdi nai'rower than 

 the anterior part of tin; body, 10-joiuted, the aniepenidtimate joint being furnished wiili a respiratory 

 organ on its back ; the terndual joint i^ also terminated by set;c and liy ladiating pieces. These lar\a3 

 are very active, swimming with great agility, often descending, but (juiekly coming again to the 

 surface of the water. Aflcr having undergoMe se\era! muultings, iheyare transfurujed into pu)i.T, 

 which continue moveable with the assistance of their tails and two oar-like pieces at us extremity. 

 They also suspend themselves at the surface of the water, but in a contrary direction to that of the 

 larva; the organs of respiration being now placed at the thorax, and consisting in a pair of tubular 

 horns. It is then also that the imago is developed, the exuviae of the pupa becoming a kind of raft 

 for it, whieli preserves it from suljmersion. All these changes are eftectcd [in the summer], in three 

 or four weeks, so that there are several generations in the course of the year. 



Culex proper, comprises those species which have 

 ,. , ^ the male ])alpi longer than the proboscis, and very 



shnrl in tlic females. C. ^'/^''f'/f.v, Linn., the Coniniuii 

 Gnat. 



Aiioplicles, I\IeLr., l);is the male palpi as long as 

 the proboscis. 



-■/v/t'i', Hoft'ni., has the palpi in both sexes very 

 short. Robineau Desvoidy, in bis essay on this 

 family, lias addeii three other f^enera. 



Snbcilu-::, ^^illl tlie palpi shorter tlKin the probos- 

 cis, and the inidille tibial and tarsi dilated. 



Meiiarh'nia, \Mlii the proboscis long and recurved 

 at the tip ; the p;ilpi short, -with the basal joint 

 thick, 

 f the female eiliateil, and two small appendages at the sides of 



Fifi. 132 — Culcx fipkns. fuf.i;ile, mt 

 f)f ttio miilc. 



Ps->ro/)//on->, ivitll the orellj ( 

 theiM-dtliorax. C. cilialns, Fa 



i/.e qikI rjiiii^niifictl 



ihc hu; 



istinct ; tlie lei:;s 



The other Nemocera liave the proboscis cither very short, and tctniinated bv two large hps, or like 



