hungerford: aquatic hemiptera. 143 



dozens of tadpoles in 24 hours. The prey was caught as it swam near. 

 This bug in his aquarium lurked submerged, coming to the surface for 

 air. He noted it chirping by means of its rectal spiracles. Mr. Harvey 

 also studied the life history which is not indicated by the title to his 

 paper. 



Oviposition. "In California (Watsonville) the breeding season is 

 from April to June and during this time from 2 to 4 sets of eggs are 

 hatched. The eggs are glued tight and fast to the back of the male, and 

 there they stay through the whole incubation period. Upon the wing 

 sheath of the male is first spread a drop of mucilaginous adhesive. Into 

 this drop of adhesive are fastened the eggs, one at a time, closely to- 

 gether, at all angles from perpendicular in the center of the clutch to a 

 cant of 45 degrees at the edges of the wing sheaths. From 70 to 175 

 eggs are deposited upon the back of the male, but not all at one time. 

 Part of them ^vill be deposited one night, and the rest the next or suc- 

 ceeding nights. This work is all done in the dark, and I was never 

 fortunate enough to observe it. If a spot of 2, 3 or more eggs is missed, 

 it is filled in afterwards, and should some of the eggs prove to be in- 

 fertile, these drop off and are replaced by others as late as the sixth or 

 eighth day of incubation." 



Incubation. "Incubation lasts from 10 to 12 days, at the end of which 

 time the egg cases and adhesive nidus that holds them are cast off entire, 

 providing there be no late laid eggs, in which instance, the empty egg 

 cases and nidus remain attached until all are hatched. The cast-off 

 mass of egg cases and nidus resembles a knobbed shield, being oblong- 

 oval, with the concave side toward the male's back. The eggs are 5 mm. 

 long by 1 mm. thick, and are of same color as the parent. During the 

 period of incubation the male spends much of his time aerating the eggs. 

 This is accomplished by gently raising and lowering the wings so that 

 the air taken in at the surface and held under the wing cases is moved 

 back and forth beneath the mass of eggs, and taken up a little at a time. 

 If by any chance the male should be removed from the water for a few 

 hours during incubation, the whole mass of eggs, nidus and all, loosens 

 and comes off." 



Hatching. "At the end of incubation, the male comes to the surface 

 and, with his back partly out of the water, the young begin to appear. 

 The first thing seen after the rupture of the egg cases is a pair of beady, 

 black eyes. At the first appearance of the young, the male begins rais- 

 ing and lowering the wings, at the same time going through a jerking 

 maneuver at regular intervals. The young insect is extruded from the 

 egg by easy stages, the hatching being accomplished in from 7 to 25 

 minutes. At birth the young bug is about 5 mm. long by 2 mm. broad, 

 of the purest white, rapidly changing to a light straw yellow and brown. 

 In two or three hours at most it is of same color as the parent, and if 

 prey be not abundant, very likely feasting on its fellows." 



