Prof. A, M. Mayer's Researches in Acoustics. 383 



and his head furnished with antennae and palpi in a state of 

 greater development (fig. 2). Notwithstanding the fitness of 

 his organs for predatory purposes, he is timid, seldom entering 

 dwellings or annoying man, but restricts himself to damp and 

 foul places, especially sinks and privies. The female, on the 

 other hand, gives greater extension to her flight, and, attacking 

 our race, is the occasion of no inconsiderable disturbance and 

 vexation during the summer and autumn months. 



"The head of the male mosquito, about 0*67 millim. wide, is 

 provided with lunate eyes, between which in front superiorly are 

 found two pyriform capsules nearly touching each other, and 

 having implanted into them the very remarkable antennae. 



" The capsule, measuring about 0*21 millim., is composed of 

 a horny substance, and is attached posteriorly by its pedicle, 

 while anteriorly it rests upon a horny ring united with its fellow 

 by a transverse fenestrated band, and to which it is joined by a 

 thin elastic membrane. Externally it has a rounded form, but 

 internally it resembles a certain sort of lamp-shade with a con- 

 striction near its middle ; and between this inner cup and outer 

 globe there exists a space, except at the bottom or proximal end, 

 where both are united. 



" The antennae are of nearly equal length in the male and the 

 female. 



" In the male the antenna is about 1*75 millim. in length, 

 and consists of fourteen joints, twelve short and nearly equal, 

 and two long and equal terminal ones, the latter measuring 

 (together) 0*70 millim. Each of the shorter joints has a fenes- 

 trated skeleton with an external investment, and terminates 

 simply posteriorly, but is encircled anteriorly with about forty 

 papilla, upon which are implanted long and stiff hairs, the 

 proximal sets being about 0*79 millim. and the distal ones 

 0*70 millim. in length; and it is beset with minute bristles in 

 front of each whorl. 



" The two last joints have each a whorl of about twenty short 

 hairs near the base. 



"In the female the joints are nearly equal, number but 

 thirteen, and have each a whorl of about a dozen small hairs 

 around the base. Here, as well as in the male, the parts of the 

 antennae enjoy a limited motion upon each other, except the 

 basal joint, which, being fixed, moves with the capsule upon 

 which it is implanted. 



" The space between the inner and outer walls of the cap 

 sule, which we term confidently the auditory capsule*, is filled 

 with a fluid of moderate consistency, opalescent, containing mi- 

 nute spherical corpuscles, and which probably bears the same 



* See fig. 2, 



