2:]'2 [October. 



iV'o^es o?i tioo larvae of Picromerus hidens L. — July 20th. — Two larval 

 Pentatoinidae were swept into the net about ten days ago with some Ischno- 

 rhynchus geminatus Fieb. off heath, and when tlie larger one was discovered 

 sucking a mature Pentafoina rti/ipef, it was separated from tlie smaller one and 

 given some lepidopterous larvae to feed on. To-day the larger bug (which 

 measures about 5 mm. in lenglli) changed its skin and is almost black iiiC')loiir 

 with a purple sheen, with the ba>es of the 3rd and 4th joints of the antennae 

 pale brown and a paie band across the central portions of the intermediat'^ and 

 posterior tibiae. July 24th. — No change. Jietween them the bugs have 

 accounted for a full-fed EuchcUa jacohaeae larva, a small sawfl}' larva, and, to- 

 night, a Tineid larva f-inch long was given them. Within a minute the larger 

 bug had stabbt'd it with its rostrum, and despite the caterpillar's struggles the 

 bug maintained its hold. In five minutes the larva was limp and dead, and the 

 bug appeared greatly excited, walking backwards and shaking the larva, which 

 was still firmly attached to its rostrum. The rostrum reaches to the middle 

 pair of coxae and is fiat and very broad in proportion to its length, and also is 

 deeply grooved on the outer surface of the second segment only. The larger 

 bug shows distinct wing-pads. On looking at it four hours later the Tineid 

 larva was found to be sucked almost diy and the bug very much distended in 

 consequence. July 29th. — This morning tlie .^mailer bug has cnanged its sliin 

 and was pale pink all over, rapidlv darkening until it resembles tlie larger one. 

 In the last four days the smaller bug has eaten practically nothing, while the 

 larger one has eaten two Tineid and two sawfiy larvae, and partial}}' sucked an 

 E. jacobaeae larva. August 1st. — No apparent change save that the larger bug 

 is paler and appears mottled on its abdomen. In the last three days it has 

 eaten three small Pierisrapae larvae and two sawfiy larvae. August 7th. — Less 

 voracious, though the smaller bug is almost as large as the bigger one. 

 August 8th. — Have just managed to get the smaller bug under the microscope 

 in the act of sucking a small larva. Under the transparent skin of the larva 

 can be seen an extraordinarily active filament coming from the terminal seg- 

 ment of the bug's rostrum, and it moves rhythmically as the bug sucks. This 

 filament passes through the teruiiual (4th) and 3rd segments of the rostrum, 

 and leaves the 3rd segment wliere tlie latter joins the 2nd, and passes thence 

 immediately into a fine sheath which has its origin on the anterior border of 

 the face. The rostrum and hlament are, in action, exactly like the cauular and 

 trochar respectively that a surgeon uses, for, as far as I can see, the rostrum 

 acts as a guide for the filament or tongue. Once an entrance into the prey has 

 been efl'ected, the rostrum is retracted toithout being withdraivn. Tliis action 

 brings forward the head and tlius a greater length of filament protrudes into 

 the prey, allowing almost the whole body to be sucked dry from one puncture. 

 On being disturbed the bug was so quick in leaving its prey that I was unable 

 to focus the microtcope in time to see the retraction of the filament. I then 

 turned vay attention to the larger bug, which has eaten nothing for two or 

 tiiree days, and found it waving itself about as though in pain. Under a glass 

 it was seen that a split was rapidly widening along the sides of the pronotum, 

 followed by a transverse split across the base of the latter, and in a moment b}' 

 a vertical one to the head. Then the bright pink of the new skin could be seen, 

 and the bug gradually bent down its head and arched its back, laying its 

 antennae straight backwards under its abdomen. A faeries of painful rhythmical 



