Genus Gmbkamia. 289 



gk 



observed by Dr. Grabham, and are possibly, as in G. sollicitans, 



laid on dry mud or moist soil, and await the coming of rain. 

 The eggs of G. dorsalis can withstand desiccation some months, 

 and hatch out at once when placed in water. This habit of 

 laying eggs on dry or drying mud in places likely to catch water 

 and so form pools is apparently common to the members of this 

 very distinct genus. 



Professor Smith, whilst agreeing in the main with this, yet 

 states (p. 193) that in New Jersey the habit of assuming the 

 horizontal position seems much less developed. The younger 

 larvae, he finds, do assume and for a time maintain this attitude : 

 but when nearly mature they take the horizontal position when 

 rising to the surface, maintain it for a few moments only, and 

 then drop back to the normal Culicine position. 



Coquillett (Class. Mosq. N. and M. America, p. 22, 1906) says 

 that all his references under confinis refer to this species. 



Grabhamia pygmaea. Theobald (1903). 

 Culex nanus. Coquillett (1903). 

 Taeniorhynchus antiguae. Giles (1904). 



Mono. Gulicid. III., p. 245 (1903) ; Canad. Entomo., p. 256, Sept. (1903) 

 (= nanus); Mosq. Jamai., p. 31 (1905); Journ. Trop. Med., p. 384 

 (1904) (= antiguae), Giles. 



Geographical distribution. — Antigua, Jamaica, Florida. 



Life-history and habits. — The following notes and figure were 

 sent me by Dr. Grabham : " Two gorged specimens, captured on 

 a horse and introduced into breeding jars. A few eggs were laid 

 about thirty-six hours afterwards. The insects were then killed 

 and pinned. The eggs were deposited like those of the type, 

 separately on the surface of the water. They were comparatively 

 large, about |- mm. long, and somewhat narrow and covered with 

 hollow papillae curved at their apices towards the narrow end of 

 the ovum. The air-chambers are quite different to those in 

 Stegomyia fasciata ova. The larvae hatched out two days after- 

 wards and were fully grown in eight days. The appearance of 

 the last three segments of the adult larva is as shown in 

 the figure. Anal papillae, lanceolate, acuminate, as long as 

 the longest posterior hairs. A short chitinous collar around the 

 posterior half of the ninth segment strengthened on the under 

 surface by transverse bars. A pair of tufts of hairs spring 



VOL. IV. u 



