72 
A Monograph of Culicidae. 
Hagen took a species of mosquito in the North-West which was 
engaged in feeding upon the chrysalis of a butterfly. 
Mosquitoes are also stated to attack the heads of young fish, 
and in some instances to have killed them ; and there are many 
records of their attacking birds and mammals. 
The males are almost exclusively vegetable feeders. One 
habit of interest in the males is that mentioned by St. George 
Gray: “Male mosquitoes,” he says, “are fond of wine, and 
every evening at dinner I see some on the stopper of the 
decanter or at the edge of a wine glass” (letter May 11, 1899). 
IMMENSE SWARMS OF MOSQUITOES. 
Occasionally cloud-like masses of various Culices are seen. I 
remember twice Jhaving noticed dense swarms of them in the 
fens; in both cases the insects were male and female C. cant a ns. 
So abundant were they that the air was quite darkened by them. 
These insect-clouds were constantly moving up and down about 
ten to twelve feet above the ground. At times the noise they 
produced could be heard a quarter of a mile off, then it would 
suddenly cease for some time and commence again. 
Mr. W. W. Smith * records a case in New Zealand where 
“ a train passed through a wall of mosquitoes three-quarters of a 
mile in length, twenty feet high, and eighteen inches thick.” 
This abnormal swarm was composed of Culex (Uranotaenia) 
argyropus , Walker. 
A similar case of this extraordinary habit is recorded in the 
same Journal by Mr. J. W. Douglas | : “ On every evening of 
the last ten days this road (Lewisham Rd., S.-E. London) has 
been invaded by vast hordes of large Culices —the air thick with 
millions of them, at times charging in close column up the road 
like a squadron of cavalry, at other times engaged in dancing up 
and down after the manner of their race.” Others appeared in 
enormous swarms at the ends of the branches of one of the 
highest trees in the same road, rising in a column, “ like smoke 
from a chimney, for a distance of some twenty or thirty feet.” 
Mr. Haliday also records a similar occurrence, the species 
being his C. detritus ( = C. nemorosus, var.). | During the present 
* Ento. Mo. Mag. p. 321, 1890. 
t Ibid. p. 239, 1895. 
X Euto. Mag. i. 151, 1883. 
