334 J- F - GARBER. 



because long- and short-winged forms were placed in separate 

 species, certain other correlated characters, c. g., a weaker de- 

 veloped pronotum in the short-winged form being constant. 



In the Family Lygeidae all grades of winged shortening occur 

 and in some species a fully-winged individual is very rare. In- 

 deed every important family shows wings shortening to some 

 extent. 



Though the short-winged form occurs in America almost 

 exclusively near large bodies of water such proximity is not 

 necessarily a factor in producing and preserving this peculiar 

 character. 



A closely related species, B. dories, is comparatively abundant 

 in southern Europe and far northward into the interior of Hun- 

 gary. A long-winged specimen of this species is a rarity and 

 was not supposed to exist until 1880 when a very small colony 

 was discovered by Professor Sajo. From his paper, presented in 

 full in Professor Webster's bulletin previously cited, we get the 

 facts concerning this species. 



The colonies of B. doric? live on the bases of bushy grass near 

 or even under the surface of the ground, and here the stages of 

 development are passed through. The species is very widely 

 distributed on sand drifts and in hilly regions, but long-winged 

 specimens were found in but a single tiny spot. The bunches of 

 grass on which the insect lives are isolated in partially bare 

 ground. During the period of development, great drought 

 prevails. The long-winged specimens possess a stronger and 

 broader thorax than the short-winged ones, and it never attacks 

 cultivated crops. 



According to numerous observers cited by Professor Webster, 

 the habits of B. lencopterus along our coasts are almost identical 

 with those described for B. dories. Professor C. W. Woodworth 

 writes me that the chinch bug is found in California chiefly in the 

 salt marshes. 



SUMMARY. 



Where short-winged chinch bugs occur in Europe and America 

 their habitat almost without exception compels them to live 

 about the roots of tufts of grass on a soil otherwise almost bare. 

 In California they are found in salt marshes. In Europe it may 



