Dec., '06] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 3 8 3 



thorax, followed by the second joint, which was applied to the 

 first. The labiitm was then released from the puncture, by 

 further backward movements of the body, straightened, and 

 borne in its natural position along the venter. This left the 

 long, slender mandibles about one-third their length within 

 the fruit. Pressure was again brought to bear as at first, and 

 the ever-bending setae were pushed in quite rapidly for over 

 half their length, when they suddenly stopped, as if by some 

 obstruction, were partly redrawn, and again inserted for the 

 same distance. This was repeated several times before a 

 cause for such actions presented itself. After the fifth attempt 

 to push the mandibles within for most of their length, it was 

 noticed that the much shorter maxillae, closely applied to the 

 mandibles so as to be inconspicuous, struck the surface of the 

 fruit, whenever the setae were inserted for more than half their 

 length, and stopped further insertion. Each time that the 

 progress of insertion was thus stopped the mandibles were 

 slightly, redrawn, or sometimes nearly entirely so, and then 

 reinserted until again stopped by the catching of the maxillae. 

 These movements were repeated twelve or more times, and 

 then the attempt abandoned. Upon withdrawing the mandibles, 

 the labium was raised and the seta? replaced within it by means 

 of the aid of one or both of the fore tarsi. 



These actions in feeding were repeated three times in suc- 

 cession on the same fruit. At the end of the second attempt 

 the wound made by the setae exuded a drop of clear fluid, and 

 through this the insect attempted to reinsert the rostrum into 

 that same wound ; the fluid, however, interfered to such an ex- 

 tent as to cause an abandonment of the attempt. 



This method of feeding, having the setae entirely free, is dif- 

 ferent from any hitherto observed by the writer in the Heterop- 

 tera. To what extent feeding is interrupted by the apparent 

 frequent inability to insert the maxillae is not known. 



The feeding-habit described in foregoing is also present in 

 Anasa tristis DeGeer, as found by observations made on the 

 nymphs feeding on grass in a squash patch. The method of 

 insertion is almost identically the same, though the movements 

 are much quicker. 



