THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST, 21 
LIFE HISTORY OF MOSQUITO. 
By Mabel N. Brewster. 
On February 20th of this year I watched the mosquito 
laying its eggs on water, the method of forming the egg-raft 
being most interesting. In two days the eggs hatched 
and eight of the tiny larvae were placed in separate small 
bottles of water, the bottles being gummed to pieces of glass 
to prevent overturning. From time of hatching to first 
moult varied from three to five days, between first and 
second moults in each case was two days, and from se- 
cond to third moult varied from three to five days, after 
which pupation took place. The adults hatched out two 
days after pupation. 
The average life history from egg to adult is thus seen 
to be about a fortnight. A previous batch, when the wea- 
ther was cooler, took a month to complete the life cycle. 
It was most interesting to see the issuing of the adult 
mosquito from the pupal shell. The pupa first stretched 
the abdominal end, then the shell of the thorax cracked, the 
head and thorax showing through. The insect then rested 
for a time, after which the head and thorax were ex- 
truded, the abdomen meanwhile working with a bellows 
action. It then drew itself clear of the shell, and again 
rested before flying away. 
NOTES ON ANT-LION (MYRMELEONIDES). 
By Mabel N. Brewster. 
The larvae were found at Long Bay in November. 
They were placed in a box of sand, covered with a glass 
lid, and well supplied with ants, which were attracted by 
placing sugar on the glass lid. Their food consisted of 
ants, though on occasion I noticed the skins of flies and 
of caterpillars. The pupal state was assumed in just over 
two months, the pupa being a beautiful round object about 
the size of a small marble, made from gummy silk, se- 
creted by the abdomen, and covered with sand. On Feb- 
ruary 21st, the insect hatched, a little round lid opening 
at one end of the pupal case, and the head of the insect 
appearing. It then drew itself right up, enclosed in the 
pupal skin, which was slit from the head down the back. 
The insect gradually drew itself clear, and proceeded to 
blow out its wings. Although I have previously reared 
ant-lions, I have not before witnessed the actual emer- 
gence, 
