part 2] MOSQUITOES IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 149 



protorhinus. It is certain that few, if any, of them can belong 

 to the genus Culex in the modern sense ; some seem rather to 

 indicate a connexion with Aedes, others perhaps with Theobaldia, 

 or even with Megarhinus ; but it will probably be best to refrain 

 from attempting to place them generically. The best-preserved of 

 the specimens are described separately below. 



I. 10272. — A male in good preservation, but without legs or 

 wings. Length of abdomen = 4*2 mm. ; proboscis = 3"7 mm. ; 

 palpi =: 3*3 mm. Although the palpi appear to be distinctly 

 shorter than the proboscis, it is just possible that the tip is 

 missing in both ; the joints are not clearly marked. The tip of 

 the long segment is slightly swollen, the terminal segment or 

 segments slightly bent down, slightly swollen, and conspicuously 

 hairy. Portions of the antennae are plainly visible. The abdomen 

 is seen in dorsal view, and is more conspicuously banded than is 

 the case in most examples of A. protolepis, owing doubtless to 

 the bases of the segments being less strongly chitinized than the 

 apices and therefore appearing paler. There is no definite trace 

 of scaling, or even of hair-bases. The eighth segment is damaged, 

 but evidently very large. The side-pieces of the hypopygium are 

 long and pointed, almost three times as long as their breadth at 

 the base, apparently provided with small distinct basal lobes, and 

 each showing a dark spot before the tip which is somewhat 

 suggestive of the subapical prominence of Theolaldia. At the tip 

 of one side-piece the base of the clasper is visible. Unfortunately, 

 the specimen is chipped just at this point. 



1. 17138. — A male abdomen only, 4"8 mm. long and even more 

 conspicuously banded than that of I. 10272. The eighth segment 

 is very broad, much broader than the hypopygium, and distinctly 

 broader than the seventh segment (thus recalling Megarhinus*). 

 The side-pieces are long, pointed, somewhat swollen in the middle, 

 and on the inside before the tip have each a hair apparently 

 arising from a slight prominence. Portions of the claspers are 

 present. 



I. 9771. — A male abdomen, 4 mm. long, with part of the thorax 

 and a fragment of one wing. The abdomen is unhanded ; the 

 side-pieces are long and pointed, shaped much as in 1. 10272. 

 Claspers not visible. 



I. 8921. — A bodjr of a male, lying full length in ventral view, 

 8 mm. in total length (abdomen, 5 "5 mm.). Traces of the plumose 

 antennae and of the base of the proboscis fix the specimen definitely 

 as a male Culicid. The thorax is partly flattened ; in front are 

 a pair of flat areas which may be the prothoracic lobes : if so, they 

 are large, and meet in the middle line. The abdomen is con- 

 spicuously banded. The eighth segment is narrower than the 

 seventh, and not much broader than the hypopygium. The side- 

 pieces are shaped much as in 1. 17138, but the slight subapical 

 prominences are a little farther removed from the tip. 



Q. J. G. S. No. 314. M 



