72 HEMIPTERA-HETEROPTERA. 
Murgantia histrionica, Ubler, U.S. Geol. Surv. Montana, pt. iv. Zool. & Bot. p. 396°; U.S. Geol. 
& Geog. Surv. ii. p. 290 *; iii. p. 404°; Stal, En. Hem. ii. p. 37. 4°; Riley, 4th Ann. Rep. 1872, 
p. 35. . 
Hab. Norta America, Colorado 345, Texas4®, Arizona‘, Indian Territory‘, Cali- 
fornia, Nevada 4, Delaware to Florida and Louisiana *—Mexico!24° (Mus. Berol.), 
Oaxaca (coll. Dist.) ; GuatTemMALA 4, Capetillo, Duefias, Purula, San Gerénimo ( Champion) ; 
Costa Rica (Van Patten). 
Dr. Lincecum, as quoted by Glover, gives the following account of the life-history of 
this insect :—‘“ The eggs, generally ten to twelve in number, are deposited mostly on 
the underside of the leaves about the 15th March or beginning of April. These are 
set in two rows, on end, cemented together on the leaf, and require about six days in 
April or only four days in July to hatch out. There are two broods annually—the first 
brood hatching out in April, and the second in July. The young larva resembles the 
perfect insect, with the exception of being wingless. Twelve, sixteen, or eighteen days 
elapse from the deposition of the egg to the development of the perfect insect, which 
passes the winter or hibernates in the perfect or imago state, issuing forth from its 
winter retreat at the approach of warm weather. These insects do very great injury 
to the plants above mentioned *, especially to cabbages, the leaves they have punctured 
immediately wilting (?), as if from the effects of poison. They are said to be exceedingly 
numerous and destructive in Texas (and other Southern States), as many as 47,000 
having been (in one instance) gathered by hand” (Am. Ent. & Bot.). 
Prof. Uhler states that “in the Atlantic region this species seems to be steadily but 
slowly advancing northwards. Its introduction into Maryland has been effected since 
the late war; and now it is known as far north as the vicinity of the Pennsylvania 
boundary line in Delaware.” The same author also remarks :—“ Several of the links 
in the chain of varieties between this species and If. munda have already been found; 
and we may expect hereafter to see the two species united as mere forms of one.” 
We ourselves, however, have seen nothing as yet to warrant such a probability. 
The specimen figured is from Guatemala, and, excepting slight variations, is the 
dominant form in Central America. Hahn’s figure would seem to represent a melanic 
and (judging from my own experience) scarce form of this species. 
AROCERA. 
Arocera, Spinola, Ess. Hém. p. 816 (1837) ; Stal, Ofv. Vet.-Ak. Forh. 1867, p- 529. 
Ooedosoma, Am. & Serv. Hist. des Hém. p. 128 (1848). 
This genus, which is very closely allied to the preceding, is separated principally by 
the lobes of the head, which are subequal in length, or the lateral slightly more pro- 
* Cabbages, turnips, radishes, mustard, and cruciferous plants. 
