CULICIDJ?. 
569 
floating at the surface. The pupa itself is shaped like a comma (,), a 
swollen rounded mass containing the head, thorax, legs and wings, with 
the abdomen curved round underneath. The tail is furnished with fins or 
paddles like those on the tail of a lobster, and by means of these the pupa 
can swim downwards very quickly when disturbed. It is lighter than 
water, and floats at once to the surface unless it continues to work its 
tail-paddles. There are no very marked differences between Anopheline 
and Culicine pupse, but the resting position is usually not quite the same, 
the Culex pupa often floating with the head higher and the first lew 
segments of the abdomen more nearly vertical than in the pupae of Ano- 
phelines. The structure of the spiracular trumpets is also rather differ¬ 
ent in the various species, and the aperture is more slit-like in Culex 
than in Anophelines. When the adult mosquito is ready to emerge, the 
pupa straightens out and lies flat along the surface, the empty skin 
forming a convenient raft for the mosquito to stand on while its wings' 
and body dry and harden. 
The habits of Indian Culicidw are various, some being c 6 domestic ' ’ 
species frequenting houses, while others -are found only in jungle and 
other such places. Their seasonal distribution is an important subject 
on which information is much needed, since every locality appears to 
have a more or less well-marked yearly cycle of species, different 
mosquitos being common in the cold weather, hot weather, and rains. 
The reason why the study of the habits of. Culicidce is so important 
lies of course in the great discovery that it is through their bites that 
Malaria and Filariasis, with some other diseases, are transmitted 
from man to man. Though it is possible that other factors may also be 
of importance there is now no doubt that malaria, the real curse of 
India, is thus transmitted. Those interested in the question of the 
