2()6 FIRST ANNUAL KEPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



The Eggs. — The eggs are beautiful objects, and are easily recogniz- 

 able. They are cylindrical, with rounded extremities, placed on end, 

 and cemented together by their sides. They are white, tinged with 

 green apically, with two black bands, the upper one of which is twice 

 as broad as the lower, and placed a little nearer to the extremity of 

 the egg. The apex is strikingly marked with a black crescent border- 

 ing the slightly depressed lid (which opens upon a hinge for the es- 

 cape of the larva), and occupying rather moie than one-half of its cir- 

 cumference. The length of the egg is about one-half greater than its 

 diameter, measuring 0.034 in. by 0,052 in. A cluster of the eggs, 

 twelve in numbei, was found deposited within a box containing some 

 of the bugs which had been sent to me for determination, from Nash- 

 ville, Tenn., early in September. They were arranged in three rows of 

 three, four and five eggs each. They are frequently found on cabbage 

 leaves, placed in two rows, side by side, of six each. At c, in the fig- 

 ure, two rows of the eggs are represented in their natural size ; at d 

 and e, enlarged side and end views are given, showing the band and 

 the apical lid. 



Natural History. 



The history of this insect has not been very minutely worked out. 

 The eggs are deposited upon the young plants early iy spring (middle 

 of March or earlier, in Texas), by the individuals which have survived 

 the winter, hidden under rubbish piles and other retreats. They 

 hatch in about six days, when the young larvas produced by them com- 

 mence feeding on the juices of the plant by means of their sharp 

 pointed proboscis which they insert in the leaf. After feeding for a 

 while and undergoing some meltings, the precise number of which has 

 not been observed, with a considerable increase in size, the wing-pads 

 make their appearance, indicating the pupal stage. Some additional 

 meltings carry it through to its perfect state. Under favoring circum- 

 stances, the entire development of the insect, from its hatching to its 

 final stage, is accomplished within two weeks. Eggs are deposited for 

 a second brood, which are again followed by additional broods in the 

 Soutiiern States — how many, it is not known, but they continue un- 

 til arrested by the advent of severe cold. At their extreme northern 

 limit, there may not be more tlum two broods. 



Distribution. 



First noticed in Texas, in 1866, as before stated, it seems, from that 

 time, to have been making steady progress northward. It was observt'd 

 in Missouri, in 1870, and five years later, it had reached the central 

 portion of the State. Prof. Thomas, as State Entomologist of Illinois, 

 recorded it from .Jackson county. 111., — the latitude i)f the southern 



