ECTOBiUS PANZEKl. 83 



NYMPH.- -Except for the lack of the abbreviated 

 elytra, the nymph looks much like a small female ; it 

 may, however, be known by the presence on the dorsal 

 surface of the thorax of a large, very distinct, black 

 mark, something like a capital A with very short legs. 



VARIATION. In colour this little cockroach varies a 

 great deal, but not in size. In Britain it is usually a 

 rather dark insect, some specimens being so dark, 

 especially in the legs, that they appear almost black. 

 Stephens described this very dark form as a distinct 

 species under the name of nigripes (p. 82).* The 

 fact is, however, that generally speaking the insect 

 becomes darker the farther north it is found. English 

 examples may belong to either form, but apparently 

 the majority are distinctly black. When darkening 

 occurs the pale vertex seems to remain unaltered, and 

 even shows up the more distinctly amidst the dark 

 surroundings : the pale line, too, along the centre of 

 the pronotum remains to some extent ; while the basal 

 segment of the tarsi seems to be constantly pale also. 



O f *- 



Var. concolor Serv. is of a uniform pale tint. This 

 form occurs in central and southern Spain, on the north 

 coast of Portugal, and in Dalmatia. 



DATE.- -There are records of the occurrence of E. 

 panzeri from June till past the middle of September. 

 Most of them are in August, which seems to be the 

 best month for the adult insect. In June and, to a 

 less extent, in July many will still be nymphs. How 

 the winter is passed seems not at present to have been 

 ascertained. 



HABITS, ETC.' On 8 August 1896 I first made personal 

 acquaintance with this cockroach, having found it on 

 that date in some numbers near Christchurch in Hants. 

 They were under dried seaweed and other rubbish only 

 a few yards from the shore, on ground that would 

 apparently be often washed by the sea itself. They 

 were very active, and, as soon as uncovered, scurried 



C*' 



* Perhaps the var. nigripes Steph. = hseckeli Bolivar. 



