200 FAMILY V. — PENTATOMID^. 



setts it is "by far the most common representative of the 

 genus," but this statement is not borne out by the Massachu- 

 setts records given by Parshley (1917, 29) . It is known to prey 

 upon the larvae of numerous moths, a list being given by Kirk- 

 land (loc. cit.) , who states that "in April and May an inspec- 

 tion of the webs of the tent caterpillar will show numbers of 

 these bugs breaking their winter's fasts upon the inmates of 

 the webs." The life habits, number of broods, etc., are essen- 

 tially the same as described under A. cynicus Say. It appears 

 to be scarce at most of its recorded stations, but is probably 

 confused in many collections with maculiventris. It is, however, 

 less closely allied to that species than to fretus, the latter being 

 distinguished from it, according to Olsen, by "its much larger 

 size, long median ventral spine, absence of dark annulus on 

 femora, more reddish color ventrally and by the median row of 

 ventral spots being dull red-brown and not sharply denned." 



143 (229). Podisus modestus (Dallas), 1851, 101. 



Form of maculiventris but smaller. Color above much as there, but 

 in general with fewer fuscous punctures and therefore a little paler; an- 

 tennae reddish-yellow, the tips of joints 4 and 5 often fuscous; embolium 

 and apex of corium usually tinged with red; membrane hyaline, with a 

 fuscous spot at apex; under surface pale yellow; abdomen with a row of 

 small spots or dots each side, the spiracles and the angles of the ends of 

 ventral segments dark brown or black, a median row of small spots also 

 sometimes present; legs reddish-yellow. Head as in maculiventris ; sec- 

 ond joint of antennae relatively short, about three times as long as first. 

 Pronotum with humeri triangular, subacute; side margins distinctly con- 

 cave, their dentations coarse, obtuse. Abdomen rugosely, shallowly and 

 rather coarsely punctate; ventral spine short, not reaching hind coxa?. 

 Length, 9.5 — 10.5 mm.; width, 4.5 — 5.5 mm. 



Kosciusko and Crawford counties, Ind., June 19 — Aug. 30; 

 taken while sweeping low herbage in woods. Northern Illi- 

 nois (///. Nat. Hist. Sun: Coll.). Ranges from Quebec and New 

 England west to British Columbia and Montana, and, accord- 

 ing to Uhler, "south to Georgia." The types of Dallas were 

 from Trenton Falls, N. Y., and Cincinnati, Ohio, and according 

 to extant definite records it is rarely if ever found south of 

 latitude 38 degrees. Kirkland states (1898, 120) that in 

 Massachusetts it is common in May, feeding upon tent cater- 

 pillars, that it hibernates beneath leaves and in summer is 

 more frequently found on bushes and low growing plants than 

 on trees. Like other species of the genus it is predatory upon 



