302 Phylum Arthropoda 



To obtain eggs, adults were confined in flat-bottomed vials about 

 4 inches long and i inch in diameter, stoppered with cotton. A little 

 ground litter such as occurs in the field, consisting of bits of soil and 

 plant material, was put in, and pieces of fresh food-plant were supplied 

 daily. This method gave fair results. 



Nymphs when confined with food in ordinary vials did not thrive; 

 few matured, and growth periods seemed to be much lengthened as com- 

 pared with those in the field. After trying several devices, one was hit 

 upon which gave more nearly normal development. The i" x 4" vials 

 mentioned were prepared with plaster casts about %" thick in the bottom. 

 The eggs were placed in these vials in a little ground litter. The vials 

 were kept upright and stoppered with cotton. The nymphs on hatching 

 were kept in these vials during the first two instars, several in a vial, 

 with fresh food supplied daily. With practice the 1st and 2nd instars 

 could be readily distinguished; and by daily inspection those in the 2nd 

 instar were removed to other vials soon after molting. After the 2nd 

 instar, nymphs did not do so well in these vials, and were reared through 

 later instars in little, individual, chimney cages on growing sorghum 

 seedlings. These were made of 1" x 4" vials open at both ends. The 

 vial was placed around the seedling, pushed well into the soil, and the 

 soil inside carefully smoothed and tamped with a pencil. The top was 

 closed with cotton. Several such cages may be placed on one flower-pot. 

 Sorghum seedlings are favorable in cages because of their slow growth. 



The writer assisted Mr. F. B. Milliken in rearing the false chinch- 

 bug, Nysius erkae* This work also presented some difficulties. The 

 species feeds on a number of plants; small crucifers such as shepherd's- 

 purse and pepper-grass are important early in the season, and a spurge, 

 Euphorbia, of procumbent habit, is used in late summer. Adults were 

 confined for egg-laying in small vials on potted food-plants. The vials 

 were stoppered with cotton, which pinched a branch of the plant pro- 

 jecting into the vial. Eggs were deposited in the cotton. Mr. Milliken 

 had best success rearing nymphs individually in small muslin bags tied 

 on the food plants. The bag was made of two pieces of muslin, perhaps 

 2" wide and 3" long, stitched together with fine stitches around 3 sides. 

 By careful examination molts could readily be found in these bags. 



Reference 

 For the rearing of Lygaeus and Oncopeltus see p. 299. 

 */. Agric. Res. 13:571-578, 1918. 



