160 
SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
never experienced its bite, nor have I been able to induce it 
to bite me by methods successful with other biting Culicidse. 
Theobald quotes Captain James to the effect that “ it bites very 
severely in South India, and that its bite is very poisonous” (Mon. 
Culic., I., p. 226). I have been unable to ascertain the origin of the 
name “Elephant Mosquito.” Does it attack the elephant ? Or 
has its large size and bent proboscis earned for it this sobriquet ? 
Besides Ceylon, the species is recorded from Travancore? 
Nilghiris, Sikkim, Celebes, Waigiou, Mysol, North Ceram, 
Burma, and Amboina. 
I have kept the female insects alive for varying periods up to 
eleven days, feeding them on sliced plantains. 
Wishing to study the early stages of the insect, I confined a 
female under a bell glass over a shallow vessel of water. Eggs 
were freely deposited. They are scattered singly and separately 
on the surface of the water, and do not tend to run together in 
strings, as do the eggs of Anopheles. The egg (fig. 3) is of a 
regular oval form, 0*55 mm. long by 0*37 mm. broad ; of a creamy 
white colour ; the surface closely studded with spinose granules, 
some of which are larger than the rest and disposed at more or 
less regular intervals. Each of these larger granules has a 
prominent apical point (fig. 4). When crushed under a cover 
glass the granules readily become detached from the surface of 
the egg. This granular formation doubtless accounts for the 
buoyant manner in which it floats, the whole contour of the egg 
being visible above the surface film. The actual operation of 
egg-laying was not seen, but the female was observed jerking 
itself up and down in the air just above the water, and it seems 
probable that the eggs were shed at that time. 
Some of the eggs hatched in two days’ time. They divide 
transversely across the equator to liberate the larva. The empty 
halves float on the surface with the convexity upwards. 
The young larvae rest almost horizontally, though they have a 
well-defined respiratory tube. Viewed from above, the position 
appears to be quite horizontal ; but from the side it can be seen 
that the body lies at a slight angle, the extremity of the spiracular 
tube only engaging with the surface film. 
The form of the newly hatched larva may be understood by 
reference to fig. 5. The head is large and somewhat quadrate : 
the thorax broader, but shorter than the head ; the abdominal 
segments much narrower, their lateral margins strongly produced: 
the terminal segment abruptly truncate. Respiratory tube short 
and stout, with four small flattened rays at its extremity. The 
sides of thorax and abdominal segments are furnished with 
