Introduction.^ 



Faunal lists based on intensive study of circumscribed areas 

 provide the greater part of the data used in more comprehensive 

 investigations of geographical distribution. Their usefulness in 

 this respect, aside from the important questions of completeness 

 and accuracy, depends largely upon the degree of detail with which 

 the subject matter is presented. A species may, for instance, be 

 found in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts and yet be 

 restricted in reality to a very special habitat; so that an investi- 

 gator of the general distribution of this species, finding it recorded 

 perhaps as occurring "throughout New England" would be en- 

 tirely misled, if as a matter of fact the form in question lived only 

 in northern Maine and on the higher elevations of New Hampshire 

 and western Massachusetts, where distinctly boreal conditions 

 prevail. In preparing this list of the Heteropterous Hemiptera 

 of New England I have therefore thought it worth while to present 

 in considerable detail the available distributional and seasonal 

 data not only for the rarer species but also for those of most fre- 

 quent occurrence, as it is just these common species that are often 

 of greatest interest, but concerning which it is unusual to find in 

 the literature anything more than very general statements. The 

 position and general character of the localities cited may be ascer- 

 tained by reference to ordinary and topographical maps of the 

 region, while the seasonal data will obviously be of direct useful- 

 ness to those interested in the economic aspect of the subject, 

 hibernation, etc. 



Full synonymy and bibliography are to be found in the publica- 



» Contributions from tlie Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, 

 Harvard University, No. 133. 



Part 2 of a thesis submitted to the Faculty of the School of Applied Biology of 

 Harvard University in partial fulflUment of the requirements for the degree of 

 Doctor of Science. 



